All These Cinderella Stories
by heyitsme517
Summary: Hey guys! This is an Auslly take on the Cinderella story! It is mostly based off of the movie, "Another Cinderella Story", but I add my own personal style, of course, and Auslly. I really have a good feeling about this, so I hope you like it!
1. Chapter 1

**(A/N - coming at you with a new story! This is based off of all the Cinderella stories, but mostly the movie, 'Another Cinderella Story'. A lot will change, though, forming it into Austin&Ally. Enjoy!)**

**_Monday_**

_Beep! Beep! Beep!_ I woke up with a loud, groan, slamming my pillow over my head and reaching over to my bedside table absentmindedly, attempting to shut off my alarm. The beeping seemed to grow consistently louder and more irritating. Finally, I just yanked the pillow off my head and ripped the cord out of the wall outlet, silencing the clock.

"What a lovely way to start the day," I mused to myself sarcastically. Many days started out like this for me, as I have to get up hours before any normal student. Why? Well, it's due to the long list of chores that the Wicked Witch of the East Coast leaves me each morning. Do normal students have to wake up before dawn, just to do pointless chores before school? No. Do I? Yes.

Probably because I'm not normal. Don't get me wrong, I'm a plain Jane type of girl - I hate sticking out, and I'm relatively simple. It's my history that isn't normal. At some point, I had two loving parents, and we were a nice little family. I don't remember those times well, though, because they were cut short at the death of my mother when I was three. I don't remember her well, but I know she was a great person. My father, the owner of a music store, Sonic Boom, then remarried when I was nine. This wouldn't have been so bad, had he not married the worst woman to ever walk this planet.

Barbara Sommers is easily the angriest, most bitter woman I have ever met. And I have the pleasure of calling her Mom - well, stepmom. She had a son and two daughters, who then became my step-siblings. The son, Joey, was nice enough to me - he actually treated me like I have worth in my life. Unfortunately, Joey is off to college, and I only see him on holidays and during summer vacation.

The daughters, however, are a completely different story. Jessica and Natalie Sommers, fraternal twin sixteen year-olds, who seem to want to make my life miserable. Between the two of them, Barbara, and the death of my father when I was thirteen, my life hasn't been all that great. When my father married Barbara, she was never all that nice to me - but my father never noticed. I don't blame him either, because it was hard for most people to see past her super-model exterior, and "kind personality" that was really as fake as her breast implants.

But sadly, when my father died, the woman became even more rotten to be, as well as rotted a bit herself. She looks terrible now, a real Hollywood wash-out. Since the time I was thirteen, she treated me horribly, and forced me to do ridiculous chores, as a 'repayment' for her letting me stay with them. Repayment? _Letting _me stay? I would have gladly been adopted by another family after the death of my father - my best friend, Trish's parents even offered. But, Barbara insisted that I stay with her, and she legally adopted me. If I had it my way, I would have gotten out of here long ago.

After glancing at the list that Barbara left for me to do, I sighed and rolled my eyes. Sweep the ceiling? Water the fake plants? Clean out the pool, but keep at least three oak leaves in it? I told you these were ridiculous and unneccessary - and all in two hours before school. I got to work anyway, fearing what would happen if I ever refused to do the work. I'm not sure how Barbara could make my life any more miserable, but knowing her, she would find a way. An hour and a half later, I had my chores done, leaving me only ten minutes to get ready for school, before Trish came by to pick me up.

Of course, even though I am sixteen and Barbara is rich, she would _never_ buy me a car, not even a junker. And of course, Jessica and Natalie, in their fancy, matching, 2012 Mustangs, would _never_ give me a ride to school. I yanked on a pair of jeans and a nice top, letting my curly hair fall loose around my shoulders. I stuffed my songbook into my backpack, and headed into the main house to grab an apple before I leave. At least Barbara feeds me. _Sometimes_.

I grabbed a Go-Gurt out of the fridge, before dashing out the door to where Trish was waiting. "Allyson, did you finish your chores?" Barbara called out from behind me.

"Yes, I did everything as usual," I snapped back over my shoulder, shutting the door and running down to the street, where Trish was waiting in her 2002 Honda Civic. It wasn't the best car around, but it ran smoothly, and hey, free rides.

"You're late," Trish said in a sing-song voice, as I stepped into the car. She quickly pulled away from the house, not wanting to be around much longer. Trish and I met in kindergarten, and became best friends quickly. We always went to each other's houses all the time, until my father died. After that, Barbara said she didn't want to see any of my friends crawling around the house. Okay, I really don't have that many friends that are close enough to even come over - just Trish. And I'm pretty sure she doesn't crawl.

And I can never go over to her house, because, between all my chores, school, and my shifts at Sonic Boom, I never really have a chance to do anything except sleep. So we spend all our time together at school, and the occasional visit she gives while working another one of her crazy jobs in the mall. And yet, we have stayed best friends through it all.

"I know," I groaned, trying to fix my hair in the side-view mirror. "The Wicked Witch gave me even more ridiculous chores than usual. I know it's because of the singing competition coming up."

"What does that have to do with anything?" Trish asked, fuming at the thought of Barbara. Trish has a bit of a temper for such a small girl, and it is actually quite admirable. I'm a small girl as well, but I have the shy personality to match.

"Exactly," I exclaimed, throwing my hands in the air. "Finally someone else who understands that she makes no sense. She thinks that I am going to go to Sing-A-Long night, and ruin any shot of Jessica and Natalie winning."

"Okay, first of all, those two trolls would never have a chance of winning," Trish said, shaking her head. "Their voices are just like their appearances, and trust me, it's _not_ pretty." I laughed my agreement. "Second off, you are probably the best singer for a ten-mile radius, but you have stage fright, so it's not like you would perform anyway. I don't know why she is loading you down with all these chores, since you would never go in the first place."

"Thank you for being the only person to understand me," I said to her, as we pulled into the school parking lot.

Then she snapped her fingers. "Wait, you're going to Sing-A-Long night," Trish said, clapping her hands. "It's a masquerade this year, so everyone will be wearing masks. You can go up and sing, showing everyone how amazing you are, but without having to show them _you_. I know, I'm brilliant."

"Never going to happen, Trish," I said, laughing as we climbed out of the car and started walking towards the school. Immediately, I felt something different in the air - girls were running around, squealing more than usual. I looked up to see a large mass of girls gathered together, screaming. "What's going on?"

Trish followed my gaze and laughed. "Austin Moon must be back," she said. Sure enough, you could see a head of floppy blonde hair, a bit taller than the squealing fan-girls.

"What is he doing back?" I asked, as we headed into the school. It seemed as though we were the only two girls not ogling him at the moment. Austin Moon is a sixteen year-old rockstar, born in Miami. When he was fourteen, he got his big break from an internet music video, and quickly turned into a celebrity. The past two years, he has been living it up in Hollywood, appearing on television, in magazines, and throwing concerts.

"You really need to read more magazines," Trish said, shaking her head. "He said something about wanting to go back to his hometown, and rediscover his roots. That he wanted to try living like a normal teenager again, and lay low for a year or so. He might even want to go off to a normal college after we all graduate."

"So, basically," I scoffed. "He is trying to get more attention and publicity by being a celebrity in a normal high school, right?" Trish shrugged her shoulders as we opened our lockers. I'm positive that is the case at hand - sure, he might have been nice when he was gone, I wouldn't know for sure since I never spoke to him. In fact, although cute, he was a bit of a dork before he got his big break. Nobody really spoke to him, except his odd friend, Dez, who seems to still be his right-hand man. After he became famous, however, it was like every girl in school was his best friend. They chased him around, not giving up until he was whisked off to Hollywood. Yes, I'll admit he is cute, and that his music is even pretty good. But, celebrities are all the same - rude and shallow. I would know, because I have a washed-up-used-to-be-celebrity controlling my life.

I shook my head to clear my thoughts, and suddenly we heard the screams from outside getting louder. Austin must have walked into the school, his crowd of fan-girls following. "Great, here comes the rush," I sighed. Trish and I braced ourselves for what was to come next. But instead of a mass of girls running around the corner, Austin and his friend, Dez were sprinting down the hall. "Ouch," I mumbled as I felt the impact of the hard, cold ground.

Austin had accidentally run right into me, knocking me to the ground. "Sorry," he exclaimed, quickly pulling me to my feet and ushering me into a janitor's closet. "Dez, cover for me." After pushing me into the closet and shutting it behind us, he peered out the small window on the door.

When the rush of girls approached and asked where Austin was, Dez and Trish both pointed down the hall, misleading them in the direction that Austin went. "I'm _so_ sorry," he said, turning back to me. His face was full of sincerity, and I gave him a small smile. "Hey, I remember you."

"You do?" I asked, cocking an eyebrow at him. I'm pretty sure I never talked to him in middle school.

"Yeah, you sat in front of me in math, seventh grade," he said, nodding his head. He studied my face for a few moments. "Ally, right?" I nodded my head, shocked that he would remember that. Not many people take notice of me - I am a plain girl after all. Plus, Natalie and Jessica always try to steal the spotlight from everyone, so I'm surprised that he could notice anyone but them. "How have you been? Do you remember me?"

"I was doing alright until I wound up on the floor," I said, shooting him a pointed look. He gave me an apologetic smile, and I waved it off, not really minding that I got knocked down. It surely wasn't the first time. "And of course I remember you, you're a celebrity. Every girl here is chasing you, if you haven't noticed."

"Thanks," he said, with a sarcastic smirk. "I hadn't noticed. But, I _did_ notice that you're the only girl who hasn't been obsessing over me since I stepped foot onto the campus. Why is that?"

"Because I'm not crazy," I shrugged.

He grinned. "Well, I admire that," he said, nodding his head. "Maybe we could become friends." I shrugged again, just as the closet door opened. Trish and Dez were standing there, ushering us out, since the coast was now clear. "Dez, do you remember Ally from middle school?"

"I sure do," Dez said, nodding his head. "I like it when you kangaroo." Austin, Trish, and I all shot him weird looks, but he just shrugged. "I like to speak in poetry sometimes."

"I swear, five minutes with this guy, and I think my IQ has dropped twenty points already," Trish said, shaking her head. Austin and I both laughed, keeping it quiet to not attract any more screaming fans.

"Well, I guess I'm off to get my schedule," Austin said. "I hope to see you later, Ally." He shot me a smile and waved, before walking off towards the principal's office, Dez following shortly behind.

"What happened?" Trish asked, turning towards me with excitement in her eyes. "You guys seem all buddy-buddy already."

"He remembered me from one of our classes in seventh grade, even though we never talked," I shrugged. "And then we talked about how I was the only girl not obsessing over him, and he said we should be friends."

"_Oooh_," Trish squealed, jumping up and down. "Ally, he is cute, this could be major for you."

"He's also a celebrity," I pointed out, shaking my head. "And celebrities are all the same, no matter where they came from, or how sweet they seem at first."

**(A/N - Ta-da! Chapter 1! I'm sure a lot of you can probably guess how this story will play out, but I'm going to add a few twists, so no worries. (: Let me know what you think!)**


	2. Chapter 2

**(A/N - well, I'm digging the reviews on this already. A lot of you seemed to want me to update immediately, and I had a little time, so you're welcome! :D it's short, but it's something.)**

_**Monday Afternoon**_

"Trish, I'm serious," I sighed, heading back behind the counter of Sonic Boom. "I'm not going to sing, and that's final. Barbara is going to give me a ton of chores anyway, so I wouldn't have a choice."

"Ally, I know you have stage fright, but, please," Trish said, smiling at me. "At least think about it. You are the best singer around, and nobody will even know it's you."

"I'll think about it," I said, sighing in exasperation at her persistence. "Don't you have a job to get to?"

"Oh, right," Trish said, smacking her forehead with her hand. "I am actually going to try and keep this job. It's at that new clothing store, and I am going to take advantage of the employee discount as long as I can. See you later!"

She rushed out the door, and I sighed, glancing around at the nearly empty store. Technically, this is my part time job, but it feels like nothing compared to the chores Barbara leaves me each morning. In fact, it's an amazing job, because I am surrounded by musical instruments. I love music, but I can't practice it at home without one of the twins or Barbara criticizing me. So, I just write songs in my songbook, and practice them during my shifts.

Another reason that I love Sonic Boom is that it reminds me of my father. He built the store when I was five, and it's the only thing that Barbara didn't change after his death. In fact, she hasn't stepped foot in the store since he died, because she doesn't care about it. As the new owner, she only cares about the money that it brings in.

I run the store, and there is one other employee, a twenty-five year-old named Tracey. She only works the two days a week that I don't. I don't mind having the store to myself, though. Whenever the shop is empty, I practice on the piano upstairs.

I stared at the people milling around the shop, wanting them to either buy something or leave, so that I can practice a new song. After a lady bought a violin, the store was finally empty, and I headed for the stairs.

Unfortunately, halfway up, I heard the bell above the door jingle, signaling somebody coming in. I inwardly groaned, retreating down the steps to see a tall guy wearing a baseball cap and dark sunglasses. He was gazing at the guitars on the wall when he noticed me. "Ally?" the person asked.

"Uh," I stammered, unsure how he knew my name. Then, he tilted the sunglasses down a little bit, and I saw a familiar pair of brown eyes. "Austin?" I asked.

"_Shh_," he said, glancing around frantically. After noticing the shop was empty, he sighed in relief. "Yeah, it's me. Sorry, I'm just trying to hit the mall without anyone recognizing me." I nodded my head in understanding. "So, what are you doing here?"

"I work here," I said, shrugging my shoulders.

He smiled. "You work here? That's so cool," he said, looking around the store. "I wish I could hang around so many musical instruments all the time."

I shot him a pointed look. "You're a rockstar," I said, furrowing my eyebrows. "What _else_ do you do?"

"Well, it's complicated," Austin sighed, taking his cap off a second to run his hands through his hair. Once he realized what he was doing, he yanked the hat back on. "Um, is there somewhere we can talk that isn't so open?"

"Sure," I said, heading towards the front of the store and locking the doors. "I'll take my break, and we can head upstairs to my practice room." I flipped the sign to '_Closed_' and led him up the stairs, to my private practice room. "You should feel honored, because I never let anyone in here."

"Well, don't I feel special," he laughed, taking a seat on the couch by the window. "This is a pretty cool place. So, what instrument do you play? Or do you sing?"

"Uh, no," I lied. If I tell him that I sing, play, and write, then he's going to ask me to play something. When I say no, he'll ask why, and I'll have to tell him about my stage fright. And then, he'll ask why I have stage fright. Lying just seems easier in this case, and I don't like giving away details about my life.

He cocked an eyebrow at me. "But you work in a music store," he said, motioning around the room. "Plus, you said that this is _your_ practice room. Why would you have that if you didn't play music?"

"This is just a part-time job I got," I said, shrugging my shoulders. Another lie. If it were any other person, I would be worried that the lying would ruin the chance of a friendship. But, this is Austin Moon, and no matter how nice he may seem, he is a celebrity. "Okay, back to what you were going to say. Something about how being a rockstar is complicated?"

"Right," Austin said, finally taking his disguise off. He ran his hands through his hair, and I could see that it was a nervous habit of his. "Okay, well, I became a celebrity for the music. But my manager quickly turned that into a ride for money. It turned out to be more of television interviews and photo-shoots than ever actually playing music. Plus, he changed my sound a bit, and made me lip-sync. I wasn't proud of it, I wasn't having fun, and that's why I came back."

"Wow," I said, soaking in all that information. "I honestly thought you came back for more publicity - you know, the celebrity-tries-to-find-roots angle? That always grabs attention. I feel bad for judging you now." He shrugged his shoulders, indicating that it was alright. "So that's not your real sound?"

"Nope," he said, sighing. "It's all edited. Here, this is what I really sound like." He walked over to the piano and began singing one of his hits, Double Take.

_Flip a switch _  
_Turn up the lightning _  
_Get it right _  
_Show 'em how it's done_

_Free it up _  
_No matter how you dress that song _  
_Girl you know you got a number one _  
_Go with it_

_You got 'em where you want 'em _  
_Drop the beat _  
_They need to hear your sound _  
_Play it up_  
_It's coming down to you right now _

_They wanna know know know _  
_Your name name name _  
_They want the girl girl girl_  
_With game game game _  
_And when they look look look _  
_Your way way way _  
_Your gonna make make _  
_Make 'em do a double take_

_They wanna know know know _  
_Your name name name _  
_They want the girl girl girl_  
_With game game game _  
_And when they look look look _  
_Your way way way _  
_Your gonna make make _  
_Make 'em do a double take _**(1)**

I listened in awe, as he played and sang his heart out. It was the same song as the one that is played on the radio, only with more personality, and way more strength. It was still upbeat and perky, but didn't sound electronic. "That's the real me," he sighed. "But nobody wants to hear that."

"Well, I personally like that a lot better than the edited songs," I said, sincerely, making him grin. "Here I was, always wanting to make it in the music business. If that's what happens though, I think I'll just keep it to myself."

The words were out of my mouth before I even realized what I was saying. _Shit_, that's what I get for becoming comfortable around him. This is why I don't like talking about myself - I give things away, which leads to more questions, which leads to people knowing all my secrets. "Wait," Austin said, shaking his head. "You just said you aren't interested in music."

"Um, I'm not," I said, standing up quickly and heading for the door. "I, uh, have to go start my shift again. My break is almost over." I reached for the door, but Austin stepped in front of it, looking down at me.

"Ally," he said, confusion evident in his eyes. "What are you-"

"Look, Austin," I said, cutting him off. I don't like to interrupt people, but I don't want him finding anything out about me. "I have a really complicated life, that I would rather not share. There's a lot of things about myself that I keep secret from most people, and I would like to keep it that way."

He kept watching me, trying to pick up anything from my facial expressions. "Fine," he said finally, sighing and running his hands through his hair, _again_. "But I'm determined to figure you out, Ally. You know what that means? It means that you're going to be stuck with me around for a while."

I rolled my eyes, but smiled. "Okay," I said, laughing quietly. "Just don't expect me to answer any of your questions, because I probably won't. Besides, I'm not exactly an interesting person to have as a friend."

"I think I'll be the judge of that," Austin said, as we walked down the stairs to the main part of the store. "You're hiding things, Dawson, and I want to know what they are. I guess I'll just have to get to know you better." He winked before waving and heading out the doors. "See you later, Ally."

I waved and opened the shop back up, feeling an urge to write a song. I grabbed my songbook and started scribbling away, working out whatever feelings are inside of me right now. Confusion? Definitely. I don't know why this boy wants to figure me out so badly. Sadness? Sure. I just wish one of my parents was still around, to offer me some sort of advice.

But the thing I was feeling most at the moment, was happiness. I was surprised, because it's not often that I am genuinely happy - how could a person be, when they live under the roof of Barbara Sommers, and the other she-devils? But, I have a feeling that it might have something to do with my new blonde friend, the one and only Austin Moon. I still don't want him to figure me out, but I will admit that I misjudged him. Maybe not _all_ celebrities are the same.

**(A/N - well, there's chapter two! Just so there is no confusion, Austin and Ally are now friends, but Ally doesn't want to five much about herself away. Let's see how long it takes for Austin to get some information out of her! Review, please!)**

**1) I don't own Double Take! I'm actually not sure who does... would it be Austin and Ally? Or Disney? Or Ross Lynch? Ah, well, point is, I don't own it!**


	3. Chapter 3

**(A/N - Here's the next chapter! Dang, I'm on a roll with this story. :D haha, just kidding... But, seriously... Just read it...)**

_**Monday Evening**_

"Well, well," a voice said as soon as I stepped through the door that evening. "Look what the cat dragged in." I turned left to see Natalie and Jessica standing there with their arms crossed. They both had avocado masks smeared on their faces - as if that's going to help anything. "We know what you did," Natalie said.

"What are you talking about?" I asked cautiously, trying to side-step them to get to the kitchen. "What did I do?"

"Oh, don't play dumb," Jessica snorted. That's actually quite ironic, considering she has the lowest GPA in the entire school. "We know that you are trying to get Austin Moon to like you. We saw you push him into that janitor's closet this morning."

"Really," I said slowly, trying hard not to laugh.

"Yeah," Natalie added. "He's obviously going to date one of us, so how about you keep your stinky little _maid_ hands off of him, alright? He would never fall for a girl like you, anyway."

"Okay," I shrugged. "You're right, he would never fall for a girl like me. Now, could you two please detach at the hip long enough so that I could go make dinner?" They smirked and stepped out of the way, while I slid past them. Thirty minutes later, I set the table for the two of them and Barbara, while taking my own little bowl of soup to my room.

Barbara doesn't like me eating with them, but honestly, I like it better this way. I would rather not see Barbara nagging about things nobody cares about, through a mouth full of food, while Jessica tries to learn how to use a spoon. I also don't even have a room in the house. I use the pool house, which again, I don't mind. It's more private, and I can't hear the twins shouting all the time.

After eating my dinner, I did my homework, and got ready for bed. I usually go to bed early, since I have to wake up early. I layed down and grabbed my songbook, flipping it open to a new page for a journal entry.

_Dear Songbook,_

_I really miss my parents. Life without them just isn't the same, and I wish that my father never married Barbara. I wouldn't have to deal with her, the twins, or any of their crap. I wouldn't have to wake up at the crack of dawn to do stupid chores, and I would be in a loving home, eating dinner with a loving family - even if the family was as small as just my father and I._

_However, I think today, I might have found something - or someone - to make life just a bit more bearable. Even though Austin is a celebrity, I can already see that he is different. He actually cares about his music, and he even wants to be my friend. I'm not sure how much of myself I am willing to show him, but I guess only time will tell._

_Love, Me_

* * *

_**Tuesday Morning**_

I woke up easily the next morning, feeling slightly anxious about the day to come. I'm not sure why, but it just seems like something good will come. The list of chores that Barbara left for me were once again outrageous, but even then, I wasn't discouraged. In only an hour, I mopped the garage door, scrubbed the toilets with a toothbrush, and fed Jessica's pet rock - I told you these were stupid. But, I was left with plenty of time to get ready, and ended up dressing in one of my floral dressed and a vest - the way I dressed before I became the 'maid'.

I grabbed an apple from the kitchen, before heading for the door. "Did you do all your chores today, Ally?" Barbara asked from her seat.

"Yep," I replied, taking a bite of the apple.

"Hm," she said, tapping her chin. "I guess I'll just have to give you a longer list tomorrow. We wouldn't want you ruining my daughters' chances for that singing thing on Saturday, now would we?"

"Look," I said, shaking my head. "According to the legal papers, I'm your daughter too - you agreed to that when you adopted me. But, you don't have to worry about me. If the twins lose, it's because they had no chance in the first place. I'm not going to the event."

"That's what I like to hear," Barbara said, nodding her head. "Now, run off to school, I need my beauty rest. And don't worry, I'll give you a long list of chores to do Saturday night, so you won't be there."

I rolled my eyes and sprinted out the door, just as Trish was pulling up. "Wow," she teased, after examining my outfit. "Who are you trying to impress? Oh, I know, your little rockstar."

"Not trying to impress anyone," I sighed. "I got my chores done early, and actually had a chance to look nice. Besides, he isn't _my_ little rockstar. I'm not even sure if we're friends."

"Well, he spent a good half hour in Sonic Boom yesterday," Trish said. I shot her a questioning look, and she shrugged. "What? The clothing store has a good view of the front entrance. And his disguise wasn't _that_ good."

I rolled my eyes. "Whatever," I said, laughing. "My point is that we are barely friends, he's not my _anything_. He isn't now, and he won't be. He's Austin Moon, teenage celebrity." We pulled into the parking lot and hopped out. I could see that the school isn't nearly as crazy as it was yesterday. A lot of people were still fan-girling over Austin, but the principal made an announcement yesterday that if anyone made him feel too uncomfortable, they would be suspended.

Trish and I walked to our lockers to get ready for the day. As I was setting books in mine, I felt a presence behind me, and noticed two hands on the metal lockers, on both sides of my head. I turned around, fearing the worst, but sighed in relief when I saw that it was Austin grinning down at me. "Good morning," he exclaimed, taking his hands off the lockers and standing beside me.

"Hey," I said, giggling as Trish and Dez started arguing about who-knows-what. I nodded my head in their direction. "I can already see that they're going to be the _best_ of friends," I said, my voice dripping sarcasm.

Austin laughed, and I realized that I really liked the sound of it. "Okay, so do you remember what I said yesterday, about me wanting to figure you out?" Austin asked. I nodded my head, shooting him a look. "Okay, well, we're going to start with easy stuff. I'll ask you a question, and you can ask the same question back."

"Why?" I groaned, banging my head gently against the locker behind me.

"Because you seem interesting," Austin said, chuckling. "Plus, you have secrets, and I want to know about them. But, I know you don't want me to know, so first, I have to make you comfortable around me. So, what's your favorite color?"

"Red," I said, knowing that he would pester me about this until I answered a few questions. If it gets too personal, I'll just refuse. "How about you?"

"Yellow," he said, grinning. I probably could have guessed that. His personality just screams happiness, and yellow is a happy color. "Okay, favorite food?"

"Pickles," I said, excitedly. When Austin shot me a weird look, I shrugged. "What, can't a girl love vinegar-soaked cucumbers? What's _your_ favorite food?"

"Pancakes," he laughed. "Which isn't weird. Okay, next question. What's your biggest secret?"

"Not answering that," I said, glaring and slamming my locker shut. I started to walk off, but he grabbed my arm gently, pulling me back.

"Okay, okay, that was a joke," he said, shooting me a small smile. "Don't worry, I really do want you to be comfortable around me first. We'll work our way up from small questions to big questions."

"I just honestly don't understand why you want to figure me out so badly," I said, cocking an eyebrow at him. "There are plenty of people at this school, go play detective with one of them. I'm nothing special."

I looked up, and Austin's steady gaze captivated me. "You seem pretty special to me," he said, and the sincerity in his voice almost made my heart melt. "I don't want to go play detective with someone. I want to figure _you_ out. I want to be _your_ friend."

"Okay," I sighed, rolling my eyes. "Fine, but only because I want to see the real you. I want to see the Austin that isn't putting up the rockstar act. You show me that guy, and in time, I'll show you the real me. But I'm warning you now, I'm going to be a tough case to solve."

"Well, what fun would it be if figuring you out was easy?" he asked, grinning. I rolled my eyes and heard Trish calling my name. "I guess we should probably head to our classes. See you later." He smiled and walked off, Dez in tow.

"Yeah, you guys are _so_ friends," Trish said, rolling her eyes and grinning.

"Were you eavesdropping?" I asked, laughing. I wouldn't put it past Trish to do that.

"Of course," she exclaimed, as if there was nothing wrong with it. "What kind of friend would I be if I didn't listen to your conversations? Okay, so the way he placed his hands on the lockers? _So_ cute! And when he told you he wanted to figure you out, and be your friend, it just melted my heart-"

I tuned out whatever Trish was saying, so that I could get lost in my own thoughts. Trish was probably planning our wedding, or naming our children, which is ridiculous. It's not even like that, he just wants to be my friend. Jessica and Natalie even said so, he would never fall for a girl like me. I just hope that knowing that will be enough to stop me from falling for him.

* * *

_**Friday Afternoon**_

"Ally," a voice called out that afternoon in Sonic Boom. I looked up to see Austin walking through the doors of the store, with a hoodie pulled up over his head. He also had on a pair of dark sunglasses, and had the hood pulled extra tight. "I brought food."

"No eating in the store," I said, pointing towards the sign that clearly displayed the rule. When Austin pulled off the sunglasses and flashed a puppy dog look, however, I caved. "Fine."

"Sweet," he exclaimed, hopping up onto the counter, as he has come accustomed to doing in the past few days. Austin comes by every afternoon during my break to hang out, and badger me with more questions about myself. In return, I have found out a few new things about him, liking this Austin much better than the one I read about in magazines.

An afternoon with Austin usually consists of him coming by in some not-so-good disguise, making me take a break, and just hanging out. He has played songs for me on various instruments, and asks me a lot of questions. Mostly general, about my favorite things, but sometimes, he takes it a little deeper, asking me about my childhood, or my dreams for the future. I tend to stay away from those questions the best I can, bringing something else up, and Austin often lets it slide, thinking that he will get it out of me in time.

He talks to me before school, as well, but we don't see each other much during the day. At lunch, a clique of girls surround him and Dez, and we have no classes together. That's why I am grateful for the time we have at Sonic Boom each day.

"Okay," Austin said, handing me a burger from the bag he was holding. "Question time."

"Can't you just play a song or something?" I asked, smiling with hope.

He shook his head. "Nope," he said, chuckling. I sighed and waited for the question, which would probably be about my favorite movie or something. "Today's questions are going to be a bit deeper. And you can't not answer, because we're friends now. If we're friends, that means you can trust me with information, right?"

"I only met you five days ago," I pointed out.

"Yeah, but we're practically best friends, already," he said. "At least, I see you as one of _my_ best friends." I thought about it, and although it was weird, it was true. We have been hanging out every day, and we are getting close. Plus, I don't have a ton of friends, so it wouldn't be hard to say he was one of my best friends. Finally, I agreed. "Okay, so here's my question. It isn't super deep, but it's more than a favorite. Where do you want to go to college, and what do you want to study?"

"I'm undecided," I said, shrugging my shoulders. "I still have two more years of high school." This wasn't a _complete_ lie. I mean, I do know that I would like to attend Julliard, and study music. But, I still have two years to decide for sure, and my opinions may change by then. Plus, I still haven't told Austin about my music. It's what I want to keep secret the most. "What about you?"

"Well, my manager said that because I'm a rockstar, I don't have to go to college," Austin said. "But, that's not what I want, you know? Being famous is cool and all, but I just want to drop it and go off to a normal college. I want to go to Julliard, and study the thing I love most, which is music." _He wants to go to Julliard too?_

"So, are you saying that if you had the chance to go back and say no to being famous, you would?" I asked.

He thought for a few moments. "Maybe," he finally said. "Like I said, being famous is cool, and a great experience, but I just want to live a normal life now." I nodded my head in understanding. "Okay, next question. What do you think about me?"

"As what?" I asked, throwing away my trash. "What do I think about your music?"

"No, what do you think about _me_?" he asked, pointing towards himself. "The _real_ me."

"I think you're a dork," I said, giggling. He pretended to pout, but motioned for me to continue. "But, honestly, I like the real Austin a lot better than the one that they show in Hollywood. I think that this Austin is nice, funny, down to earth, and, like I said, a bit of a dork."

"But I'm a good-looking dork, right?" he teased, nudging me with his arm.

"Sure," I said, rolling my eyes and laughing. "You're also super modest - _not_. Oh, and you're not like most celebrities - you know, shallow."

"How do you know that celebrities are shallow?" he asked me, raising an eyebrow. "You always talk about celebrities like you know so much about them."

"Trust me, I know them a lot better than you'd think," I said, sighing. "But we're not talking about that right now. That's in deeper, unquestionable territory."

"Only unquestionable for now," Austin said. "Because I am going to figure you out, Ally. Everything - even if it takes me a million, _billion_ years." He annoyingly put emphasis on billion, showing that he really was going to keep trying.

"We'll see," I laughed.

We sat there in a comfortable silence, before Austin turned back to me. "So," he said, holding my gaze with a small smile. "Aren't you going to ask what I think about you?"

"Do I want to know?" I asked cautiously. "Some people have some pretty nasty opinions about me."

"Well, they're stupid, then," he said seriously. "Because you're awesome. I have only known you for five days, and I already think you are the most real girl I have ever met. I think you're kind, funny, and really smart. And, I _guess_ you're kind of pretty, too." He was teasing at the end, and I rolled my eyes, swatting his arm playfully.

After a few more seconds of holding my gaze, he started to lean in a bit, his eyes fluttering shut. I started leaning too, until I realized that the reason he likes me so much is because he thinks I'm real and down to earth. But in reality, I have been lying to him a lot the past few days, even if it was lying by omitting. He probably won't feel this way, wanting to kiss me, once he figures out the real me.

I pulled back just before our lips were going to connect, and Austin glanced at me with confusion and hurt evident on his face. "Uh, sorry," I stammered, running towards the front of the store, and flipping the sign to '_Open_'. "I, uh, have to open the shop back up."

"Oh, right," Austin said, nodding his head and trying to act as if that didn't just happen. There are two reasons I had to stop that kiss. One, I haven't been completely real with him, because I don't want anyone knowing about my life. If he was kissing me because he thinks I'm real, then I would have to continue lying to him in the future, which I don't want to do. The second reason, is because he was just caught in the moment. It was quiet, we were close together, and he just leaned in, probably out of instinct. Everyone is right, he would never fall for someone like me. "So, uh, are you going to be at the singing festival tomorrow night? I know you're not into music, but it's still going to be pretty cool."

"I'll have to see," I said, shrugging my shoulders. "If I do, I'll let you know, and we can try to meet up at some point. I won't be able to find you with all the masks, though."

"Well, I guess I'm going to head home now," he said. "Hope to see you tomorrow, Ally." He waved and headed out the door, rubbing his neck. Well, that was awkward. I should have just let him kiss me, but honestly, that would just make things more awkward than they are now. I wasn't planning on going to the singing festival, but now, I just might.

**(A/N - Well, that is chapter 3! Sorry I skipped a lot of days, but nothing exciting really happened in between those days, besides them becoming friends. Also, for the journal entry, if you're wondering why it says, "_Love, Me_" at the end, instead of "_Love, Ally_", it's because later on, Austin will find it, and her name isn't supposed to be in it anywhere... You'll see! Okay, review!)**


	4. Chapter 4

**(A/N - I just can't help myself from writing this story! Plus, you all keep asking for me to post, so here's ANOTHER chapter! I don't own "Love you Like a Love Song", Selena Gomez does. Nor do I own "Love Song" by Sara Bareilles. And, I don't own "Say You'll Stay". The best band ever, R5, owns that! Anyway, on with the chapter! Enjoy!)**

**_From: Austin_**  
**_4:35 PM_**

_Hey! (: Are you coming to the festival tonight? If so, text me, and we can meet up!_

* * *

**_To: Austin_**  
**_4:40 PM_**

_I don't think so... I have other plans that came up._

* * *

**_From: Austin_**  
**_4:41 PM_**

_Oh, bummer. ): Well, have fun!_

* * *

_**Saturday Afternoon**_

I sighed, wishing I didn't have to say no. This morning, I had convinced myself that I was going to go to the song festival. I have no interest in performing, but going to be surrounded by music sounded good. Plus, Austin acted like he really wanted me there.

Unfortunately, Barbara kept her word, leaving me an _extra_ extensive list of chores that would keep me busy at _least_ the entire night, if not a few days. So, no festival for me.

"Ally," Trish said sternly through the phone. The only reason I have a cell phone is so that Barbara can text me to do things anytime she wants. "You're going to the festival. You even said you want to."

"Yes, I _want_ to, Trish," I said, sighing. "But, I _can't_. Barbara left me a list of even stupider things to do than usual."

"So?" she asked, not seeing the point. "The house is practically spotless, right? Do a few things so that she won't get suspicious. Then, once everyone leaves, you and I can go to the festival. It will be fun. And if you're back by midnight, you'll beat everone else home, so no worries."

Although it sounded risky, I really want to go to the festival. I could go from eight to midnight, and be back in time. Plus, I don't have to worry about anyone seeing me, because everyone will be wearing masks. "Fine," I sighed. "You sound like my fairy godmother or something." Trish squealed, telling me that she would be over by seven.

I got to work, doing the chores that Barbara so ridiculously requested. After she was satisfied that I would be busy for a while, she left with Jessica and Natalie. Trish showed up about half an hour later.

* * *

"I don't know, Trish," I said, as we drove towards the park that was holding the festival. "Are you sure about this?" I was wearing a pair of tight black skinny jeans, and a sparkly blue top. My hair was straightened, and I had on a black and blue mask, that covered much of my face. Nobody would be able to recognize me if they tried.

"Absolutely," Trish assured me. "Just remember that you are here to have fun tonight. We'll be gone by midnight, you can change, and act like you have been working all night. It's foolproof."

"Well, I guess we'll see," I replied, shrugging my shoulders as Trish parked. "Let's just go check this out." We got out of the car and walk towards the festival. Immediately, I could see that there were many different things going on. There was food, of course. There were mini-games, such as _"Name that song"_, and _"Sing-Pong"_. Instruments were scattered everywhere, with random people playing. All in all, it was a place filled with music, which is all I could really ask for.

"Ally, you have to go play _'Sing-Pong'_," Trish exclaimed, pulling me in that direction. "You would be so good at it. Plus, you can't be afraid of failing right now, because nobody will know it's you. If you fail - which you won't - nobody will know. Please, please, please, please, _please_-"

"Okay," I exclaimed, cutting her off. "Fine, I'll do it." We walked over to the area that was playing _"Sing-Pong"_. Basically, two contestants go up and sing lyrics back in forth to each other. The point is to try and zing the other person with your lyrics, and if they can't come up with a clever response, they're out, and you stay until you get beaten. Lyrics can be from songs, or made up.

Currently, two unfortunately familiar voices were on the stage, Natalie and Jessica. They were trying to outsing each other, and when the referee kept asking for crowd votes, everyone stayed silent - that's how bad they are. _"I'm sexy and I know it,"_ Natalie sang out, off-key.

"Oh yeah?" Jessica challenged, then began singing even worse than Natalie. _"I'm too sexy for my shirt, too sexy for my shirt-"_ When she reached for the hem of her blouse, the referee stopped them both, asking them to leave the stage. This got a round of applause from the small crowd, and I couldn't help but giggle.

"Who's next?" the referee asked. Trish pushed me towards the stage, and another girl walked up from the other side. "Okay, so the rules are, you have to _sing_ the lyrics, you only get three seconds to think before you start singing, and they have to be in response to the other person's choice of lyrics. Are you two ready?"

The girl and I both nodded, and she began singing. "_I, I love you like a love song, baby_," she sang out. She wasn't terrible, but she also didn't seem like she could think well on her feet.

So, she's mentioning love songs? _"I'm not gonna write you a love song,"_ I sang back, shaking my head. I could tell that I already had this one in the bag.

She took longer than three seconds to come up with a lyric, making me the winner. She exited the stage, and I stayed, waiting for the next competitor. A few more rounds went similarly, and I even threw in some of my own lyrics.

"Let's do this," a familiar voice said. I looked up to see a tall boy climbing onto the stage, and even though he had on a mask, I could tell it was Austin. Thankfully, he couldn't tell who I was. He still thinks that I'm not interested in music.

"Alright, folks," the referee said to the growing crowd. "I think we can all tell who just joined the stage. Give it up for Austin Moon." The crowd cheered, and more people came over, while Austin seemed a bit annoyed that he was recognized. What does he expect? That head of blonde hair would give him away anywhere.

"And, we seem to have a bit of a songwriter up here." the referee continued, pointing at me, and the crowd cheered me on. It felt good, getting praise for my writing and singing - even if nobody knew it was me. "You heard some of her lines, and she can obviously improvise. Now that we have two songwriters on the stage, how about instead of singing things to get the other to quit, they write a song? Here and now. If one of them takes longer than three seconds to respond, then they're out, but instead of it being a competition this time, they are working together. What do you guys think?"

The crowd cheered at the idea, and Austin and I both agreed. _"It's summertime,"_ Austin belted out, making this up on the spot. _"And you are all that's on my mind. Everyday."_

He pointed at me, signaling for me to make a lyric. I didn't even take time to think, I just let my heart sing back, lyrics forming like magic as they came out of my mouth. _"It seems like we,"_ I sang back. _"Could stay up and talk through the night. Oh, what do you say?"_

I pointed back to him, and he started what I assumed was the chorus. _"Say you'll stay,"_ he sang, his voice melting me like butter on a pancake. _"I just keep on wishing everyday."_ I threw in a few echoes as he went through the chorus, before pointing back to me to write a new verse.

We continued like this, and by the end, we were totally in sync. The crowd was cheering, and we basically wrote a song together, as we were singing.

"Wow," the referee said, once we were done. "I can't believe you two just wrote an entire song on the spot. Folks, right here are some true young talents. We all know who Austin is, but who is this fine young lady under the mask?" He pointed the microphone at me, waiting for me to reveal myself, but I shook my head, before running off stage.

Once I was off, I began looking around frantically for Trish. "Hey, wait up," I heard someone calling from behind me. I turned around to see Austin sprinting after me. There was no point in running, because he seemed much faster than I am. Once he got to me, he smiled, ripping his mask off. "That was amazing. We were completely in sync up there."

"Yeah," I said quietly, hoping my voice was unrecognizable with all the music going on around us. "You're a great songwriter."

"I could say the same for you," he grinned. "I honestly didn't expect you to keep up with me like that. You're amazing." I thanked him and began to walk away, in search of Trish again, but he grabbed my arm gently. "Wait, can't I at least know your name?"

"I'd rather not say," I said, as Trish ran over to where we were standing.

"It's midnight," she whispered, handing me my purse. "We have to go." I nodded and began to walk away.

"Wait," Austin said, once again. "I really want to get to know you. Why can't you tell me who you are?"

"Just don't worry about it, please," I called out over my shoulder, leaving a very dumbstruck Austin standing there. Trish and I raced out to her car, and she dropped me off at home. I quickly changed into a pair of sweatpants and a t-shirt, before running back into the house. Just as I was sitting down to iron the kitchen curtains, Barbara walked in, Natalie and Jessica in tow.

"How are the chores coming, Ally?" Barbara asked.

"Oh, fine," I said, trying my best not to smirk. She glanced around, obviously believing that I did many of the things she asked. "How was the festival?"

"It was great, you really missed out," Jessica laughed snobbily. "Maybe you could come next time, if you weren't just the help." She, Natalie, and Barbara went off to their rooms, laughing, while I held my tongue, not pointing out that legally, I was a member of this family.

Around one in the morning, I went back to my little poolside room, relaxing after all the stress towards the end of the night. I don't know what would have happened if I hadn't made it home in time. Deciding to write down the song that Austin and I sang, I reached into my purse for my songbook, but it wasn't there.

I usually take it everywhere with me, but I guess it's possible that I left it here tonight, with all the stress that came along with pulling this off. I reached under the corner of my mattress, but didn't find it again. Now a bit frantic, I stood up and checked everywhere in the room, before realization finally sunk in.

_My songbook is missing._

**(A/N - dun, dun, DUN! Okay, so I just want to clear something up really quickly... Austin isn't a player, for trying to kiss Ally one day, and then trying to get to know this 'mystery' girl the next. He felt chemistry with her up on the stage, while they were singing, and wanted to get to know her. Little does he know that the two girls he is falling for are really only one girl... Okay, so yeah! Review please, because the ones you guys are leaving are awesome! Oh, and whoever leaves my favorite review will have their name added into this story as an OOC! So, go! :D Thanks for reading!)**

**PS. To any of you that are reading "A Summer to Remember", I promise, I'll update that tomorrow! I just get so excited with this story!**


	5. Chapter 5

**(A/N - hey guys! Here's the next chapter! A few of you said that you wanted to see Austin's Point of View, so here it is! I think I will do one in his point of view every few chapters, as a catch up. So, the first half of this chapter is just him reflecting on the past week to himself, while the second half is his view of the singing festival. Enjoy!)**

**AUSTIN POV**

_**Saturday Afternoon**_

I sighed, running my hands through my hair. I come back to Miami to live a normal life, but suddenly, trying to be normal is even more complicated than being a rockstar.

One large problem is that I have to go in disguise almost everywhere. At school, the fan-girls aren't quite as bad as they were at first, but I still have a few follow me around. Dez and I have to drive around for an hour after school, just to make sure that nobody follows me to my house. When I'm in public, I usually settle for a hat and sunglasses, or even just my hoodie pulled up. Eventually, people in Miami are going to be used to having me around again - _I hope_.

It's funny how in middle school, when I was a nobody, all I wanted was to be famous. All _anybody_ ever wanted was a shot at fame - to make a name for themselves, get rich, and live the good life. Now that I am famous, though, all I want is to go back to living a normal life.

Personally, I was in the race for fame because of my passion for music. All I wanted was to get paid and recognized for doing what I loved the most. That quickly turned into other things, though. Three-quarters of my time were spent doing interviews, photo shoots, endorsing things that I couldn't care less about, and being forced to go to large Hollywood parties. In the end, only a small portion of my time was devoted to making music, and even then, it was edited and changed to not sound like myself.

I was sick of it. I packed my bags as soon as my two-year contract was up, not bothering to renew, and headed home. Some people would see this as an act of spoil, or selfishness. Really, though, I was just done with the business. I still love music, but now, I want to make it _my_ way. I already have the fan base and money to start again on my own, so why not?

But then, I realized that I just want to lay low for a while. I want to live life as a normal highschool student, maybe even go to a normal college. I would love to be able to attend Julliard as_ 'Austin Moon, the musical boy who made a name for himself'_ rather than _'Austin Moon, the boy who got in because of fame'_.

So, I came home. And although it has been a bit hectic so far, I am with my family again. Dez has been with me through it all, acting as my right-hand man, which he is. He's my best friend, and when his parents died a few years back, my parents gladly adopted him into our family. He's a bit odd, but he's also a cool guy, who will stick by his buds.

It's nice having a true friend, because that was one thing I was worried about. I wanted to make some real friends in Miami, but I knew that would be difficult to do. People would try to be my friend because of who I am, hoping that being close with a famous person would automatically increase their own chances of fame and fortune. I knew that making real friends would be tough, which is why I was so grateful for Dez.

There was one person, however, that I befriended rather quickly, that I knew was a true friend. Heck, _everything_ about her is real. On Monday morning, when I ran into Ally Dawson in the hallway, I felt terrible for knocking her over. I felt even worse for shoving her in the janitor's closet, but I needed a chance to apologize, and couldn't have done that with girls hot on my tail.

She was pretty cool about the whole situation, but didn't completely play it off. She treated me like she would if any other person knocked her down. As I was apologizing, I recognized her. She was Ally, the girl who sat in front of me in seventh grade math. The girl that I secretly crushed on for a year, but never talked to.

While we were waiting for the fan-girls to disappear, I quickly remembered why I liked Ally back in middle school. Even though she is quiet, she's also very funny. And she is very real. As the only girl in the school who wasn't obsessing over me at the moment, I suggested we should be friends, and she didn't shoot the idea down.

I remember that afternoon, when I walked into a music store in the mall, Sonic Boom, hoping to buy a few new instruments. I spotted Ally though, and learned that she worked there. Instantly, I wanted to be that much closer to her, because I could see that she liked music. She says that she doesn't, but I feel like it is just one of the many things she is hiding about herself. One of the many things that I will eventually figure out.

She took her break with me that afternoon, showing me her private practice room - which, again, I don't understand. If she doesn't like music, why would she have that? That afternoon was great. I talked to Ally about the confusion of being famous, and why I really came back, unlike the crap that was posted in the magazines. I sang for her - the real me. I also found out that Ally is hiding much more than I would have originally thought. She's mysterious. She's interesting. Due to the fact that I want to be her friend, and that my old crush on her may or may not be reigniting, I promised her that I will figure her out, even if it takes a million years.

Throughout this week, I have learned a lot about Ally - all her favorite things to do, see, and have. I like hanging out with Ally, and learning about her, slowly taking a few steps closer into her mysterious life. We quickly decided that we were practically best friends, as neither of us had a ton of _real_ friends. But, throughout the week, I quickly started seeing Ally as something more than that, as well.

Yesterday afternoon, when our questions were getting a bit deeper, I leaned in to kiss her. She started to lean in as well, but stopped at the last second, leaving me confused and a bit hurt. There was something holding her back from that kiss - something large, because I know she feels at least _something_ for me in return. I'm not saying that out of cockiness or arrogance, I'm saying that because of the connection I feel between us. It's all another part of the mystery that hopefully, one day, she will let me figure out.

* * *

_**Saturday Evening**_

I threw on a pair of jeans and a casual button-up, before pulling my mask on. I was headed to the singing festival in the nearby park, and was extremely grateful that it was a masquerade event this year. Hopefully, nobody will recognize me with my mask on, and I can just have a good time.

It would be a better experience if I could have gotten Ally to come with me. She keeps saying that she doesn't like music, but I have a feeling that she does. She works in a music store for crying out loud, and has a practice room just above it. I don't know why she is hiding so much, but I don't mind. I am slowly figuring her out, and the chase is always fun.

Ally told me she had other plans, but I have a feeling that's not the case. I think she just didn't want to come for fear of exposing her love for music. Or, maybe, she still felt a little awkward about us almost kissing yesterday. _Or_, maybe, I'm overthinking this and she really is busy.

I tried to push the thoughts aside, and wandered around the park for a while, checking out all the things going on at the singing festival. I headed over to _'Sing-Pong'_, where two girls were singing horribly. When one started to lift her shirt, the referee quickly ushered them off the stage, gaining clapping and laughter from the crowd. I watched as two new girls took the stage. The first one was a decent singer, but the second blew me away - her voice was incredible.

Four rounds later, and she was not only impressing me, but the increasing crowd around us. She had even been throwing in her own lyrics, made up on the spot, which was astounding. When the referee asked for a new competitor, I quickly took the stage. "Let's do this," I said, grinning.

"Alright, folks," the man running it said. "I think we can all see who joined the stage. Give it up for Austin Moon." I grew frustrated, wishing I hadn't been recognized behind my mask. That was going to make this night a little bit less fun. The judge quickly explained the new approach on this game - that instead of competing against each other, we were going to work together to try and create a new song, by passing the lines back and forth.

The crowd loved the idea, and I agreed to it. The girl agreed as well, and I started off with some lyrics that used to run through my mind. _"It's summertime,"_ I sang out. _"And you are all that's on my mind. Everyday."_ I'm not the best songwriter - heck, before I was famous, I couldn't even write a few lyrics. Working with professionals in Hollywood, helped a bit, though. I'm still not that great, so this song will probably turn out horrible, but I can only hope for the best.

_"It seems like we,"_ the girl sang back, making it up as she went. _"Could stay up and talk through the night. Oh, what do you say?"_ I don't know what it was, but something came over me, and I was soon spitting out lyrics like I was a professional songwriter. We sang back and forth, and soon, we had created an entire song. It was incredible, and the reactions from the crowd emphasized that.

I looked over to see the girl grinning beneath her mask, and I quickly realized that the reason my songwriting took over, was because of that girl. Something about singing with _her_, just changed me. It's as though we had instant chemistry. Suddenly, I realized that the referee was speaking again. "We all know who Austin is," he said. "But who is this fine young lady under the mask?"

All eyes turned towards the girl, who merely shook her head before running off the stage. When my brain began working again, I dashed after her, calling out. "Wait up," I exclaimed. She turned around and stopped running, waiting for me to catch up. I tore off my mask, hoping she would do the same. I had to know who this girl is. "That was amazing. We were completely in sync up there."

"Yeah," she said quietly. "You're a great songwriter." Truly, I'm not. It was all because of her, this mysterious girl, that I was able to write lyrics up there on that stage.

"I could say the same for you," I said, shooting her one of my best smiles. She thanked me, and began to walk away, searching for somebody or something. I reached out and gently took hold of her arm, spinning her back to me. "Wait, can I at least know your name?"

"I'd rather not say," she said, keeping her voice low. Suddenly, another girl ran up to her, whispering something in her ear and thrusting a purse into her arms. They began walking off again.

"Wait," I called out, desperation in my voice. "I really want to get to know you. Why can't you tell me who you are?"

"Just don't worry about it, please," the girl called out over her shoulder, taking off in a sprint with the other girl towards the parking lot, and leaving me confused.

I sighed, running my hands through my hair. I'm a mess right now. First, I find myself falling for Ally, even though she is clearly trying hard not to fall for me. She dodged our kiss, leaving me feeling confused and hurt, but I know she has a big reason for it, which I intend to find out.

Then, I sing with this mystery girl up on stage, who I was so in sync with, it was almost scary. We had written a killer song together up there, and I felt a chemistry with her. But, she left me there, confused and hurt, with no idea of who she might be.

I realized that I am falling for two girls right now, both a mystery to me, that I feel like I need to figure out. I need to find out all the things that Ally is hiding, and figure out what she feels for me. And then, this other girl - I need to figure out a lot about her, preferably starting with her name.

I glanced down and noticed a small, leather journal on the ground. Something drew me towards it, and I suddenly realized that it fell out of the girl's purse when she was running away. It hadn't registered until this moment, but I did see it happen. Which means, that this book belongs to the mystery girl.

_I need to figure out who she is._

__**(A/N - well, that was the chapter! :D I kind of liked writing in Austin's POV, even if it was mostly reflection. I think I am going to try that every few chapters. Like, I'll throw in an Austin, and the first half will be recap, while the second half is a detailed version of an important event through his eyes. Do you guys like that idea? Review! :D)**

**P.S.) Also, I just loved all the reviews you guys left yesterday! I honestly couldn't pick a favorite, though, so I'm just going to throw a few of the ones I really liked into a hat and pull one out! When I do that, I'll message you for your name, and you will be added as an OC to the story in future chapters!**

**P.P.S) I am going to start adding something at the bottom of each chapter, called _"Confessions of a FanFiction addict"_, because I truly feel as though I am addicted to this website. It's almost all I think about! Anyway, here it is.**  
_Confessions of a FanFiction addict #1 - when you open your internet browser, and FanFiction is your most visited website._


	6. Chapter 6

**(A/N - guys, I seriously can't stop writing this story... It's like an addiction... AHHH HELP ME. But first, read the chapter! Back in Ally's POV, by the way!)**

_**Monday Morning**_

"Okay, spill," Trish said, as I climbed into her car, ready to go to school. "You're obviously freaking out." I checked my reflection in the mirror, and realized that I do look panicked - probably because I am.

"I can't find my songbook anywhere," I said, banging my head against the window next to me. I had spent all day yesterday looking for it - at home, at Sonic Boom, and even at the park the song festival was in, just in case. "I can't believe I lost it."

"Wow," Trish said, sympathetically. "I'm sorry, Ally, I know it's really important to you." I just nodded my head, trying not to freak out so much. I thought that I could have misplaced it somewhere in the house, so I cleaned everywhere, in search of it. Only one good thing came out of that - the house was so spotless, that there was no way Barbara could give me any chores this morning. Plus, she was a bit hungover from last night, so she just didn't take the time or energy to write me a list.

Unfortunately, I was so anxious, I didn't get to sleep any later than normal, anyway. I checked everywhere in Sonic Boom - under the counter, in the piano, between seat cushions, and even in the tuba. But, I couldn't find it anywhere. I have absolutely no clue where it could be, and I am freaking out more and more. Not only are my songs in there, but a lot of personal journal entries as well. Thankfully, I don't have my name anywhere in the book. But, if anyone ever figures out it's mine, I would be a bit screwed over.

"Ally," Trish said, shaking my shoulder gently. I looked up to see that we were already at school. "You can't freak out too much about this, alright? All you can do is hope that it will turn up eventually."

I nodded my head, and got out of the car, walking into the school slowly. I'm not even sure if I'll be able to face Austin today, without lying to him. He's probably going to tell me all about the singing festival, and the girl he met, while I have to pretend that I have no idea what he is talking about.

When Trish and I rounded the corner to our lockers, I was surprised to see that Austin and Dez were already standing there. Austin was glancing around nervously, watching girls as they passed. "What's wrong with him?" I whispered to Dez.

"He's freaking out about a girl," Dez answered, shaking his head. "He met her at the song festival Saturday night, and they wrote a song together. It was pretty awesome, but she left without even telling him her name. He wants to figure out who she is, but the only clue he has is a little leather book."

"Leather book?" I squeaked out nervously. I shot a worried glance Trish. Of course _Austin_ had to be the person to find my book. Why? Because fate hates me.

Upon hearing me, Austin turned my way, waving at me. "Oh, hey, Ally," he said, shooting me a warm smile. "I really missed you over the weekend. I wish you could have come to the singing festival."

"Yeah," I said nervously, nodding my head. "Yep, uh, me too." I received odd looks from both Dez and Austin, but just shrugged it off, grabbing Trish's arm. "Come on, Trish, let's go to class."

I pulled her away, waving goodbye to the boys over my shoulder. "Austin has your book?" Trish asked, as soon as we were out of ear-shot. I nodded my head sadly. "Okay, this obviously means you guys are meant to be. First, you guys are like, new best friends, and he likes you-"

"He doesn't like me," I interjected.

"Let me finish," Trish said, exasperated. "Okay, he _does_ like you, because he tried to kiss you." I pointed out that it was just in the moment, and that he would never fall for me, but she glared, making me shut up. "Anyway, as I was saying, he said he felt instant chemistry with you up on the stage, and I know you felt it too. And now, he has your songbook. If destiny gives you any bigger of a push, you would fall off a cliff."

"Yeah, Trish," I said, shaking my head. "He feels instant chemistry with the girl he sang with - _until_ he finds out it's me. Then, he realizes that he could never like a girl like me, and that's the end of that."

"Ally," Trish whisper-shouted. "Why are you so oblivious? He obviously likes you, and you like him back. Why are you so afraid to admit that?"

"Because I don't want anyone to know everything that is messed up about me," I said, trying hard not to cry. "I have a crazy, screwed up life, and I come with a lot of baggage, that nobody wants to deal with. Even if Austin does like me, he wouldn't after he found out all my secrets."

"How can you know that, unless you try?" Trish asked gently, patting my back to calm me down.

"Because, he says I'm real," I said, shaking my head. "Yeah, I'm real, alright. I'm a _real mess_. I always avoid super personal questions when I talk to Austin, and I lied about not liking music. If he ever finds out, he is either going to hate me for lying, or not want to be my friend, because of all the crap I come with. So, let's just leave it how it is, and not make anything more complicated than it needs to be."

"Alright," Trish said, putting her hands up in the air in surrender. "I get it. He's going to find out eventually, though. But, I promise that I won't say anything to him, alright?"

"Thanks Trish," I said, regaining my composure before we headed to class. "You're the best."

* * *

_**Monday Afternoon**_

"Hey, Ally," Austin said, as he trudged into Sonic Boom that day, looking sad. He had his hood pulled up over his face, and sat down glumly on the stairs, resting his chin in his hand. I flipped the sign to '_Closed_', before locking the door and taking my break.

"Hi, Austin," I said, taking a seat a few steps further down than him. "I saw your announcement today." I thought back to what happened.

_During lunch today, Austin made an announcement to the school. "Hey, everybody," he said to all the students. "I'm a bit lost. On Saturday night, at the singing festival, I met an amazing girl, and we sang together. Unfortunately, she was masked, and ran off before even telling me her name. She dropped a leather journal, though, filled with songs that she wrote. They're fantastic, and I can tell this girl is really talented."_

_Trish nudged me with her arm, still not completely giving up on me telling Austin the truth. "Anyway," he continued. "I really want to find her, and give her the book back. If you think you're that girl, come talk to me. But trust me, I'll know if it's you, and this is how. Come sing to me - and not just any song, but the most recent song that you wrote in this book. If you can do that, and you sound like you did on Saturday night, I'll know it's you. I want to get to know you, and I know you want your book back. Thanks, everyone."_

_Immediately after he finished, a group of girls swarmed towards him, claiming that they were the ones that he was looking for. Trish just shook her head, both in disgust at the girls, and even a little disappointment in me._

I was brought back out of my thoughts when I heard Austin's voice. "Yeah," he said, sighing. "Girls have been coming up to me all day, throwing me pathetic attempts at singing and songwriting. I know it's only been a day, but I can't help feeling I'll never find out who she is."

"I'm sure you'll find her," I said, smiling at him weakly. Lying to Austin at first was easy, even if I didn't want to. Telling him that I didn't like music was a bit hard, but lying to him now is _so_ much harder. We grew pretty close to each other over the past week, and I feel like a terrible person for keeping up an act, knowing that it is making him upset.

"I guess," Austin said, shrugging his shoulders. "I just wish she hadn't stuck in my head so much. It was like when I met you again the other day - something about you just made me unable to get you out of my head." I glanced up at him, surprised, and he scratched the back of his neck, blushing. "Uh, I probably shouldn't have said that."

"It's fine," I said, brushing it off like it wasn't a big deal. Okay, so maybe Trish was right - maybe he _does_ like me. But _I'm_ right, too. If he ever finds out all my secrets, he's going to see me as too much to handle, and not want anything to do with me - almost everyone does. "So, what are you going to do?"

"Just keep listening to girls sing, I guess," Austin shrugged. "I'm not really sure what else I can do. I don't know anything about her, except that she is an amazing singer and songwriter. There are journal entries in here too, but they aren't signed with her name. I haven't really read any of those, because that would be an invasion of privacy, but I have read a lot of the songs."

I let out a small sigh of relief, knowing that Austin hadn't read any of the journal entries. Like I said, I talk about myself a lot in there. I don't say anything that would make someone believe it was me, but I think I have mentioned his name a few times. "Oh," I said lamely.

"The thing is," Austin said, shaking his head. "I felt a chemistry - not necessarily that I would _like_ her, but that we could be _friends_, you know? Maybe even musical partners. I have my eyes set on someone else right now, but I would still like to at least know who the girl is."

"Yeah, I get it," I said, nodding my head in understanding. "You're saying that you like somebody else, but you would have at least liked to meet the mystery girl."

"Right," Austin said, happy that I understood. "Anyway, let's not worry about that right now. I have been listening to girls sing all day. How about we ask more questions?" I nodded my head, grateful for a subject change. "Okay, well here's my next question. Would you like to go on a date with me? Because you're kind of the girl I like."

He smiled at me hopefully, nervousness evident in his eyes. My heart raced a little bit, at the realization that he actually _did_ like me. But I can't do that. "I would like to," I said quietly, as he grinned. "But I can't. I'm sorry." Seeing his face fall was so upsetting, that I had to look away.

"Why not?" he asked quietly.

I sighed. "I'm really sorry, Austin," I said, shaking my head. "I like you, I just don't want to make anything more complicated than it already is. I have a lot going on, and I don't want to add any more stress. I'll tell you what - go find that girl, the one you sang with, and get to know her. I'm sure she's a lot more interesting than me."

"She's probably not," Austin said, shaking his head and standing up. "But, I guess you're right. I was stupid anyway, for thinking that a girl like you would ever fall for a guy like me. But, it's cool. I'll see you around, Ally." He gave me a sad smile, before waving and walking out the door.

I couldn't help it, I just started crying right there. Everything was just so complicated. If only I hadn't lied to him from the beginning, maybe everything would be smooth right now. He could know that I love music, and that I was the girl that he was looking for. He likes the me that I have been showing him, but he likes the real me, the _musical_ me, as well. How is he going to react if he finds out that we're the same person?

I should have just told him. No, better yet, I should have just stayed quiet old Ally, who didn't even know rockstar Austin Moon. It would have made my life a whole lot easier. And Austin - he's going to go searching for that girl now, who he is never going to find, because _I'm_ her. There are two girls that he wants, and he's not going to be able to have either of them, because they're both me.

I sighed. Not only have I messed up my own life even more, but I messed up Austin's life, too. That's something I never would have wanted to do, because I care about him, and he's a good friend. Eventually, I picked myself up off the stairs and let out my emotions into a song. If only I had my precious book to write it down. If only I wasn't in this mess.

**(A/N - well, sorry for ending this chapter on a bit of a sad note, but I found it necessary! Seriously though, writing this story is like a drug, I just can't stop! If anyone is confused, Austin likes Ally, and just wants to get to know the girl who he sang with... who we all know is Ally. Ally likes him too, but feels bad that she has been lying, and doesn't want to get close to anybody, because she doesn't want people knowing things about her. She thinks if people learn about her life, that they will leave her, which is why she doesn't want to date Austin. It might be a bit confusing, but I will clear things up soon! :D Leave me a review!)**

Confessions of a FanFiction addict #2 - When you see two regular people, who would make a cute couple, and think 'Oh, I totally _ship_ them!'


	7. Chapter 7

**(A/N - what is this, my third update today? Dang, I'm like, a writing machine! :D haha just kidding, but this is so much fun to write! And a bunch of you asked for another chapter, so your wish is my command! Enjoy!)**

_**Thursday Evening**_

When I got home from my shift at Sonic Boom, I was rudely greeted by Natalie and Jessica. "Can I help you?" I asked slowly, glancing back and forth between them.

"Yeah, you can," Jessica snapped, rolling her eyes. "You're the _help_, after all." Natalie snickered, until Jessica shot her a glare, shutting her up. "Okay, we know that you're Austin's mystery girl."

I raised my eyebrows. "I'm not sure what you're talking about," I said, trying to slide past them into the kitchen. "I'm obviously not." I thought back on the past few days. After Austin asked me out Monday night, things got a little awkward between us. He hasn't been coming by the Sonic Boom in the afternoons, but I also know that he has been sitting through a lot of girls singing to him.

He is probably stressed, tired, and sick of hearing music for the time being. Plus, it's fine by me, that he hasn't been that close the past few days. I need a little time to get over him, because a relationship would obviously never work out between us. Austin says he likes me, but would he, if he knew the real me? If he knew that I was practically an orphan, would he feel the same way? If he knew that my step-mother and step-siblings hated me, and forced me to be the maid, even though I'm legally adopted into the family, would he still like me?

What about if he knew I was lying about not liking music? How would he feel, then? Would he be happy that I was his mystery girl, or would he be pissed that I have been keeping so much about myself from him? Probably the latter. I'm hoping that this chase for his mystery girl will dissolve any feelings he has for me. I just feel bad that both of the girls he wanted were me, and that he can't have either one.

He hasn't been completely ignoring me, though. He and Dez still talk to Trish and I in the mornings. In fact, it seems as though Trish and Dez are finally getting along. Dez eats lunch with us every day, while Austin is off who-knows-where, listening to girls sing.

I snapped back into reality to see Jessica and Natalie glaring at me, their arms crossed. "Like I said, it couldn't be me," I restated, shaking my head. "I wasn't even at the singing festival, I was here doing stupid chores. Besides, Austin would never fall for a girl like me, remember?"

"We know you were there," Natalie said. "We heard you singing up on stage, and it sounds just like the dying cat noises you make when you're singing in the pool house. I'm not sure why everyone liked it, but they did."

"Exactly," Jessica added. "And we know that you have the song that Austin is looking for. So, give it to us, and we will sing it to Austin. He'll realize that we're the girls of his dreams, and you can go back to being a loser."

"Give us the song," Natalie added, taking a threatening step towards me.

I held my ground, and glared at them both. "Fine," I said evenly. "I'll give you guys the stupid song. Let me go make dinner, then I'll write it down and give it to you." They smiled, letting me through to the kitchen, where I made their dinner. Honestly, I don't know why I don't just slip some poison in there one day. But, I'm not nearly that mean.

After setting their dinner out on the table, and making a sandwich for myself, I stalked off towards my little poolhouse, ripping a sheet of paper out of one of my school notebooks and furiously writing down the lyrics to the song that Austin was looking for.

I stomped back into the main house, thrusted the papers at the twins, and slammed back into my own room, before crying myself to sleep. Why is my life so complicated? I'm not sure what I did to deserve all this, but whatever it was, I'm really, truly sorry. "Mom, Dad," I whispered into my pillow. "I miss you guys so much. I wish I could give you something more to be proud of, instead of being the maid, that lets everyone stomp on her." With that, I drifted into a heavy sleep.

* * *

_**Friday Morning**_

It was another one of those mornings where I battled it out with the alarm clock. After ripping the cord out of the socket again, I yanked the sheet of paper off the outside of my door. Another list of chores from Barbara, of course. Feeling angrier than I was the night before, I tore the list in half, before spending an extra long time making myself presentable for the day.

I walked into the main kitchen, taking the time to make myself toast, and eating it in enough time for Trish to get here. "Ally, did you do your chores?" Barbara called out to me.

"Don't I always?" I asked sweetly, giving her a fake smile. She nodded her approval, before walking back up the stairs, no doubt to sleep all day. I smirked, knowing I had gotten away with that. Why didn't I try lying about the chores years ago?

Through the window, I saw Trish pull up, and dashed out to the car, accidently slamming it extra hard. "What happened?" Trish sighed, as she started driving towards the school.

"Somehow, the twin-witches found out that I was the one performing with Austin at the song fest," I said, running my hands through my hair angrily. "And then, they demanded I give them the song, so that they could sing it to Austin."

"Okay, first, chill out before you go bald," Trish said, making me take my hands out of my hair. I sighed and took a few deep breaths, trying to calm down. "Second, I hope you didn't give them the song."

"I did," I replied, shrugging. Trish slammed on the brakes, nearly causing an accident. After she began driving again, I looked over at her. "_Trish_," I exclaimed, clutching the seatbelt tightly.

"What do you mean, you gave them the song?" she asked incredulously, while keeping her eyes on the road. "You just gave it to them, without a fight? Is it really worth that?"

"What was I supposed to do, Trish?" I asked, running my hands through my hair once again. "I'm obviously not going to sing it to him, and he would hate me afterwards, for lying to him and putting him through this chase."

Trish sighed, "Ally, you really need to tell him-"

"No," I shouted. Trish looked over at me worriedly, and I immediately softened, reaching over to hug her. "I'm sorry, Trish, but I can't. And you promised me you wouldn't tell him, so you can't either."  
"Right," Trish said, nodding her head. I thought I caught a glimpse of a mischievious smile on her face, but shrugged it off, hoping it wouldn't cause me any trouble later.

* * *

"Hide me," a voice whispered from beside me. I glanced up to see Austin sitting there, a hoodie pulled over his head, and a dark pair of sunglasses on. He kept his head low as he joined me at the lunch table. "I can't take it anymore."

"What?" I asked, glancing around to make sure no screaming fan-girls were on the way. Once I realized the coast was clear, I bent down to talk to Austin. "What are you talking about?"

"They're crazy, Ally," he whispered, shaking his head. "I thought fan-girls were obsessive before, but now, it's out of hand. All of them keep trying to prove that they're my mystery girl, when none of them are. They all are terrible. And then, there are a few that are decent singers, but horrible at songwriting. I feel like the girl really just doesn't want her book back enough to reveal herself."

"Oh, I'm sure she does," I mumbled. Thankfully, he didn't hear me.

He sighed. "And now, I have to go to a house tonight for dinner," he groaned. "They're going to sing to me, and they said something about their mother wanting to get into Hollywood. This is getting so stupid, but I have to find her, now. I have been through too much to give up." I nodded my head. "So, how have you been? I feel like we haven't really talked much the past few days."

"Eh," I said, making a so-so hand motion. He glanced up with a worried look, but I sent him a smile, assuring him it was nothing. "No worries, Austin. I just have a lot going on."

"I'm not giving up on you either, Dawson," he said, shaking his head. "I still plan to figure you out, and all the mysteries that come with you. You're my friend, and I want to know what's going on."

"I wish you weren't so persistent," I said, shaking my head. "But, the thing is, even though you want to figure out so much about me, you will wish you hadn't asked afterwards. The things that you'll learn would make you not want to be my friend."

"Ally, listen to me," Austin said sincerely, even taking his sunglasses off so I was looking him in the eyes. "Whatever you're hiding, I'm sure it can't be that bad. I would never want to stop being your friend."

"Thanks, Austin," I said, smiling up at him. We held each other's gaze for a few more moments, before a loud squeal interrupted us. We glanced up to see a pack of fan-girls headed our way.

"Great," Austin groaned, slipping his sunglasses back on. "I'll talk to you later, Ally." He waved before running off, the girls chasing quickly behind him. I sighed and shook my head, knowing that none of them was the girl he is looking for.

* * *

_**Friday Evening**_

When I got home from school that day, Barbara gave me a long list, with the ingredients for an extravagant dinner. "Why?" I asked, glancing down. Shrimp? Fettucini alfredo? Salad and soup?

"We're having a guest tonight," she said, shrugging. I rolled my eyes and spent the next few hours cooking, whipping together everything. The only great thing that comes out of the large dinners are that there are usually leftovers, so I can sneak a decent meal to my room for once. "Ally, I'm going to need you to act as a waitress tonight, as well."

Barbara exited the kitchen once again, leaving me standing there. "Why would I expect anything less?" I asked myself, quietly, putting the finishing touches on dinner. I placed the food onto plates, ready to take them out to serve. At one point, I heard the doorbell ring, but never cared to check who it was. Barbara has fancy dinner guests over all the time, so why should I care?

Finally, I heard everyone get seated at the table. I grabbed a few glasses of water, to take out to the table, when I suddenly heard Natalie and Jessica, singing loudly. Not only were they singing off-key, but they were singing my song. I stepped into the living room, and nearly dropped all the glasses when I saw who was sitting in the extra seat, looking terrified as the twins performed.

He glanced up, and if possible, his eyes got even wider when he saw me standing there. _Austin._

__**(A/N - dun, dun, DUN! Looks like Austin just got a step closer to figuring out all of Ally's secrets... Ruh-roh, Raggy... Anyway, I think you should leave a review, because they make me super duper extra happy! :D)**

Confessions of a FanFiction Addict #3 - When you open your email, and it's all alert clutter.


	8. Chapter 8

**(A/N - well, I'm pretty much a genie, I guess... You guys ask for a new chapter, and I provide. :D Fourth update of the day, I think I deserve an award or something! :D Haha, you guys are lucky I love you - all my readers. But then again, I'm lucky to have you! [: enjoy!)**

_**Friday Evening**_

"_Ally_?" Austin asked, his eyes going wide. "What are you doing here?" I quickly set the glasses down on the table, terrified that they would slip out of my fingertips at any given moment.

"What does it look like she's doing?" Barbara asked, laughing. "She's the help, of course. She's our maid, our chef, and our waitress." Natalie nodded in agreement.

"She's also our sister," Jessica added in a 'duh' tone, rolling her eyes. Natalie shot her a glare, and Barbara tried to wave it off, as if it was completely normal to work a sixteen year-old like she has no worth in her life. Austin just kept gaping at me, his head cocked to the side just a bit. I ran back into the kitchen and grabbed the plates, setting them down in front of everybody. After that, I ran from the room, avoiding Austin's heavy gaze as I felt tears prick my eyes.

I ran into my little poolhouse, throwing myself onto the bed, and just letting the tears flow out of me like a river. I can't believe it. This thing - this part of me that I try so hard to keep a secret from everyone is now out in the open, for Austin to see.

The way he looked at me when Barbara said I was the help was heart-wrenching, as if he felt sorry for me. That's exactly what I don't want. That's exactly why I never tell anybody about myself, because I hate when people pity me. Here I am, letting Austin think that I am a normal sixteen year-old girl, with a nice family, and then he shows up tonight, ruining that image.

I'm not normal, nor do I have a nice family. I'm an orphan that was adopted by my terrible step-family, and forced to do stupid housework all the time. I try to keep up a fence around my life, but Austin Moon just had to be rebelious, and try to climb over it.

Now, he probably thinks I'm a loser - I'm sure that Natalie and Jessica have told him that plenty of times since he has sat down at dinner. He probably thinks I'm a liar, and pathetic, and alone. And the worst part of all is that earlier today, he promised he would never think that. He promised that no matter how big what I was trying to hide was, that he wouldn't stop being my friend.

But, I knew all along. I knew that once he found out, he would want nothing to do with me. Now, let's just see how right I am. I cried for a bit longer, until I heard a knock on my door. "Go away," I groaned, not wanting to deal with anyone right now. "I'm not going to do any chores tonight, just leave the dishes for me to do in the morning."

"Ally," a voice said as my door opened.

I looked up to see Austin standing there, watching me with a worried look. "What do you want?" I asked, wiping my face to get rid of all the tear stains.

"To talk," Austin said quietly, taking a few steps towards me. He sat on the edge of my bed and locked eyes with me. "Okay, so what if you're a maid on the side? It's okay to have more than one job. It's okay to need money, Ally."

I stared at him. "Didn't you hear what Jessica said?" I asked. He thought for a moment, before shaking his head. "I'm also their _sister_." His eyes widened. "Well, step-sister."

"Wait, what?" he asked, shaking his head as if he hadn't heard me right. "So, that's your family? Then, why do they treat you so poorly?"

"How should I know?" I asked, laughing bitterly. "Okay, you want to know some stuff about me? Here it goes. I used to have a nice little family. That was cut short when my mother died - I was only three years old. Then, it was alright, with just my father and I for a while. We learned to deal with it, and soon, he opened the Sonic Boom in the mall. Things were going well enough until my father remarried when I was nine."

I glanced up to see how he was taking all of this in, but he just stared at me, waiting for me to continue. "Okay," I said. "So, Barbara was never all that nice to me, even when my father was alive, but she kept up a good enough act. My father died when I was thirteen, which made me an orphan. Trish's parents offered to adopt me, but Barbara insisted that I stay with her. I didn't really have a choice, since she was my step-mom, and got to make the decision on where I go. So, I was legally adopted into the family."

I wiped at my eyes a bit, hating this point in the story the most. "Every morning, I wake up at five to do pointless chores that Barbara leaves me," I said, shaking my head. "Every afternoon, I work a shift at Sonic Boom, and every night, I cook them a dinner, that I'm not even allowed to eat with them. They treat me worse than the scum that I have to clean out of the toilets. So, do you see, Austin? I have an insanely messed up life, and that's what I didn't want you to learn."

He watched me for a few seconds before his face softened. "Oh, Ally," he whispered, pulling me into a hug. "Why didn't you just tell me? I would have understood."

"That's why," I said, pulling away from the hug and pointing at his sad face. "I didn't want you to pity me. I didn't want you to think that I was weird, or for you to feel sorry for me. I didn't want you to know the real me, if it meant that you were going to pity me all the time." I started crying again. "You were getting to know me on the terms of who I _wanted_ to be, not who I really am."

Austin brushed my hair out of my eyes and rubbed my tears away with his thumbs. "Ally, listen to me," he said, making me look at him. "I don't feel sorry for you. Yes, I am worried about you, but I don't see you any different now than I did before. I still think that you're amazing, kind, funny, and _beautiful_. Just because your life is a bit messed up, that doesn't change how I feel about you."

Cupping my chin, he leaned down and kissed my lips softly. I kissed him back, and it was amazing. I felt the weak knees, the fireworks, everything. Eventually, we both pulled away, a bit short of breath. "Wow," I said, smiling up at him.

He grinned and pressed his forehead to mine. "Ally, I want to help you," Austin whispered. "But more importantly, I want you to be mine." He leaned down to kiss me again, but suddenly, I realized there was something else I have to tell him.

"Austin," I said nervously. "You know how Jessica and Natalie were singing to you earlier?" He nodded his head. "Well, I'm the girl you're looking for. I was the one at the masquerade."

He studied my face a second before stepping backwards angrily. "This is unbelievable," he muttered, shaking his head. I looked to him for an answer, and he looked as though he was about to cry. "This is pathetic. Does Barbara really want to get back to Hollywood that badly? That she is sending three daughters after me, so that she can use me?"

"Austin, what are you talking about?" I asked, placing my hand on his arm. He ripped his arm away and spun towards me.

"I can't believe this," he said, his voice rising. "Barbara is just using all of you to get to me, isn't she? She sends each of you in a line, to say that you're the girl I'm looking for, in hopes of me believing one of you. That way, when I find the girl I'm looking for, she can use the relationship to work her way back up to fame. That's it, right?"

I started to speak, but he shook his head. "I just can't believe you played me like that, Ally," he said, his voice shaking. "I really like you, and you are just making me part of Barbara's little game - part of your little game. Are you even an orphan, or is she your real mother? Does she really treat you that way, or was that all part of your act?" He wiped a furious tear away. "Did that kiss even mean anything to you? Do _I_ even mean anything to you?"

"Austin," I exclaimed, rushing towards him, fresh tears spilling over. "You mean so much more to me than you could ever imagine. I really like you. I'm not part of Barbara's game, and everything I just told you was true. This is the real me."

"Ally, I just don't know what to believe anymore," he said, hanging his head in disappointment. "You have been lying to me recently, so who is to say that you aren't lying to me now? How do I know that you aren't just using me for my fame, like everyone else? I thought you were different, Ally."

"I _am_ different," I exclaimed, desperation taking over my voice.

"I'm not so sure anymore," Austin said, sighing. "Look, I need some time to think, and I'm sure you do, too. I'll see you around, Ally." With that, he left the house, shaking his head. I wiped the tears from my eyes once more. I haven't cried this much since my father died.

After I calmed down a bit, I walked back into the house to clean the dishes from dinner. As I was washing the last plate, Natalie and Jessica cornered me. "I can't believe you," Natalie said, shaking her head.

"I don't want to hear it," I muttered.

"Too bad," Jessica said. "We told you to stay away from Austin, and while we're here, trying to show him that _we're_ the ones he wants, he goes off to find you. What does he see in you, anyway?"

"He doesn't see anything in me," I exclaimed, feeling more tears pricking my eyes. "Not anymore, at least."

"Good," Natalie smirked. "Because after all, you are just the help."

"You're right," I said, faking a smile. "I'm just the help. So I'll _help_ you guys out, by not doing anything for you anymore. Consider it a favor, as you learn to grow up. Maybe you can even teach Barbara a little bit about maturity and kindness." They gaped at me, and I pushed past them, towards my room. "By the way, I hate both of you."

With that, I stormed off to my own room, locking the door behind me and screaming into my pillow. I can't believe that I finally told Austin what he wanted to know - I showed him the real me. He even accepted me for who I am, and kissed me. _He kissed me._ Then, when I tried to finish the truth, he thought I was lying, and stormed off, angry. It was exactly what I was afraid of.

**(A/N - Well, I handed you Auslly, then ripped it right back, huh? I know it's a bit short, but it was a really quick update! I wanted to tell you guys why I have been updating so much today. Besides the fact that this story is addicting to write, my dog was having a **_huge_** surgery today, and I was writing to keep my mind off it. But, the surgery went **_amazing_**, and he is home and healthy! So then I updated again, because I was so happy about him being alright! And because you guys are awesome readers, and I can't deny what the readers want! ;D Anyway, I know a lot of you don't want to be left hanging here, but sorry, no more updates tonight. :P I'm falling asleep, and unfortunately, I'm not SuperWoman, so I don't think I can post five chapters in a day! Review!)**

Confessions of a FanFiction addict #4 - when you are sitting in a random place, and suddenly jump up, saying, "Oooh, I could write about that in my story!"


	9. Chapter 9

**(A/N - here's the next chapter! Sorry, Austin is barely in this chapter, but it's also really important, so... read!)**

_**Monday Morning**_

I spent the entire weekend in my room, writing out my feelings into songs. They were all melancholy and depressing - even more so than usual. I tried texting and calling Austin, but he never responded. All I want is a chance to explain - a chance to show him that I really _am_ the girl he is looking for.

I slept in until six this morning, like a normal sixteen year-old girl would. After getting dressed, I grabbed breakfast, and when Barbara asked me if I did the chores, I lied again, saying yes. Perhaps I should have started doing that longer ago, because she always believes me. Maybe, if I had stood up to her before, she would have just given up.

No matter how much I complained to myself, I don't think I ever talked back to Barbara. Perhaps, if I had, I wouldn't be treated the way I am now. That makes me feel even worse, knowing that the reason I have been living through hell the past three years, could be because I just had no spine.

Well, not anymore. I'm not going to let people step on me anymore - I'm not going to let Barbara boss me around, and if she doesn't like it, she can put me back up for adoption. I'm not going to take any crap from Jessica and Natalie, like I always have. And most importantly, I'm not going to hide anything about me - I'm going to reinvent myself, the way I wanted to be.

Trish picked me up as usual that morning. I hadn't told her what happened, but the look on her face said she already knew. "Austin told Dez, and then Dez told me," Trish said, as she started driving. "I'm sorry, Ally, but isn't it better than lying to him?"

"You're right," I said, sighing. "I wouldn't have been able to date him if I was lying to him. It just sucks knowing that I was right - when I told the truth, he got mad and didn't believe me."

"He just needs some time to think," Trish assured me, shaking her head. "Ally, you have no idea how much that boy cares for you. He was head-over-heels for you, and that's why he is so hurt that you lied to him in the first place."

"I know," I whispered, but not letting myself cry. "But I lied because I didn't think that he would like the real me - really, he shouldn't have liked me at all. I'm plain old Ally, and he is Austin Moon, the rockstar."

"Remember that he used to be a regular guy too," Trish said as she parked the car. "He grew up here - as a nerd, in fact - but he made something of himself. And he sees you as way more than plain old Ally."

"So, how am I supposed to make this right?" I asked her. Trish was always good with advice.

"You just have to talk to him," Trish shrugged. "But, not until he's ready." I nodded and we headed into the school. When we got to our lockers, Dez and Austin were standing there as usual. As we walked up, though, Austin muttered something about heading to class.

After he walked off, I looked up at Dez sadly. "He'll get over it," he assured me. "Ally, Trish told me about it a few days ago, and I kind of predicted he would react this way. I should've warned you, sorry."

"You told Dez?" I asked Trish, shooting her an accusing look. "You promised."

"Hey," Trish said, putting her hands up in self defense. "I promised that I wouldn't tell _Austin_. I never said anything about telling Dez or not." I sighed, because that was true.

"Look, Ally," Dez said. "I'm sure Austin told you that I'm an orphan too. I'm also Austin's best friend, so I could help you out with that. If you need someone to talk to, just let me know."

"Thanks, Dez," I said, giving him an appreciative smile. "I actually think I might take you up on that offer. Can you stop by the Sonic Boom this afternoon, so we could talk during my break? You're probably the best person to talk to about this."

"Just make sure you don't lose any IQ points in the process," Trish teased. Dez pretended to pout, so she gave him a quick hug, while he kissed the top of her head. I raised my eyebrows, wondering when they got so friendly. "Uh, let's go to class, Ally."

Trish grabbed my hand and pulled me. "So," I pressed. "What was that all about? I thought you and Dez hated each other."

"Well, we do," Trish said, smiling. "Well - we did. Uh, it's a love-hate relationship, you know? I talked to him about your Austin problem, to find out what he thought, and it turns out he's actually pretty cool. He's weird a lot of the time, but he can be super sensitive and smart, especially about emotional topics. I'm glad that you're going to talk to him later, because that's exactly what you need." I nodded my head, greatful for the chance to talk to someone about this.

* * *

_**Monday Afternoon**_

"Hi, Ally," Dez said, walking into the store. I quickly closed the store for my break, gesturing towards the couches by the entrance. It's not that I don't want Dez up in the practice room - I just feel like that's something I share with Austin. Well - _shared_. Dez unzipped his backpack and began pulling random things out. "I didn't know what I should bring for us to talk, so I brought megaphones, walkie-talkies, and goldfish."

I stared at him in disbelief, wondering if this was such a good idea. Then, I realized, this is Dez. And even though he seems a bit crazy on the outside, I'm sure Trish is right, he is probably very smart. "Dez," I said calmly. "We don't need that stuff. Let's just talk."

"Okay," he said, nodding his head in understanding and taking on a serious mood. "So, Austin probably told you that my parents died, and that his family adopted me, right?" I nodded. "Well, Trish said that your step-mom got to choose where you go, since she was the closest thing you had to a parent at the time, and that she legally adopted you. I know that she's terrible to you, Ally, and I want to help. I think I can find a loophole for you, if you can get ahold of your dad's will."

"I can try," I said, nodding my head. "I know where Barbara keeps it, and I'll just act like I'm cleaning something in there. You really think you can find a loophole on where I get to go?"

"Well, I need to see it first," he said. "So, if you can do that, I can try to help you out of there. Then, we can work something out. Okay, next problem. What is it?"

I took a deep breath. "Okay, so the first day Austin came in here," I explained. "We were talking about music. I'm a singer, songwriter, and can play almost any instrument - but I have _terrible_ stage fright. So, instead of having him ask questions about my fear, I lied and said that I just didn't like music."

Dez nodded his head. "That makes sense," he said, nodding his head. "You didn't want to get super personal. What happened after that?"

"Well, we got to know each other pretty well, becoming friends and stuff," I continued, missing Austin. "But I always avoided the personal questions. I don't like people knowing about my life, because I don't want people to pity me. I don't want people looking at me any differently." Dez nodded his head, as he has received pity from a lot of people after his parents died. "I felt bad that I was lying to him, but I just didn't want anything to change. I was finally making a good friend, who liked me for me, and didn't know anything about my messed up life. I was the girl who sang with Austin up on the stage that night - that's my journal, and those are my songs."

Dez's eyes widened at that, because I guess Trish hadn't told him that part. At least she kept part of her promise. "Anyway, I didn't want to own up to it, because one, I didn't think Austin would ever like a girl like me. And, two, I had already told him I didn't like music - he would hate me for lying."

"Ally, he wouldn't have cared," Dez said, giving me a small smile. "Trust me, Austin likes you _a lot._ Did you know that he crushed on you all of seventh grade? That crush came back and turned into quite a bit more. But, I'll let Austin tell you that. And, he really wanted to find the mystery singer. If he knew that you two were the same person, he would have been overjoyed."

"I _did_ tell him, though," I exclaimed, remembering Friday night. "He came over, and I explained all of my family issues to him. He said he didn't look at me any different, and that made me feel so happy. We said that we liked each other, and we kissed. But, it felt wrong, knowing I was still keeping something from him. So, I told him that I was the one he was looking for."

"And what happened?" Dez asked carefully. I'm not sure if Austin hadn't told him, or if he just wanted me to say it, to work it out.

"He thought I was lying," I said, shaking my head. "He thought I was part of Barbara's little ploy to get back into Hollywood - but I'm not. That's all Jessica and Natalie. He thought I was playing him, or using him for his fame. He thought that he didn't mean anything to me, and that this was just a game. But it's not. I _really_ like him, and I finally told him the truth, and-"

I couldn't help it. I cried, again. Dez put an arm around my shoulders, giving me a comforting squeeze. "Ally, I'm sorry," he said quietly. "Austin was probably a bit blown up after Barbara and your step-sisters messed with him. They had the song, but not the voice. He probably thought you were the same way, since you're part of that family. But most of all, I think he is just hurt. He's hurt, thinking that you were playing him, when he feels so much for you."

"But I wasn't," I said, wiping away my tears. "I really care about him, and all I want is a chance to explain all of this to him."

"Look," Dez said sternly. "Austin and I have been best buds practically our entire lives. And I've lived with his family long enough to know that he is a deep thinker. Just give him some time to work out anything that he needs, and then you can go explain to him. I know it's hard, but that's the best thing you can do."

"Thanks, Dez," I said, standing up and giving him a friendly hug. "You are honestly amazing. I'm so greatful that you took the time to come here, and I can't think of anyone better to talk to."

"No problem," he said, shrugging his shoulders. "If it means seeing you and Austin happy, I'll do anything. That, and I didn't want Trish to beat me up or anything."

"Speaking of Trish," I said, teasing and waggling my eyebrows. "What's going on there? Are you guys dating? She said it was a bit of a love-hate relationship."

He chuckled and blushed a bit. "Yeah, well," he replied. "I'm the love, and she's the hate, but somehow it balances out. We're not dating or anything, but I'm thinking of asking her out soon. I don't know, though - she might reject me."

I tried to think of something Trish would say. "Do it, or I'll smack the freckles off your face," I threatened jokingly.

He went wide-eyed. "Jeez, no wonder you guys are best friends," he said nervously. "What does everyone have against my freckles? They're my friends." I just laughed. "Oh, and don't forget about your dad's will. If you can get it to me by tomorrow, that would be awesome." I thanked him again, and before he left, he turned back into goofy Dez. "Bye, Ally. I have to go feed my kangaroo some jelly."

I just stared after him, wondering why he has a kangaroo, and why he feeds it jelly. He really is odd - but he knows what he's talking about, and he was a huge help tonight. I'll worry about my father's will first, then give Austin some time to think. I hope he thinks quickly, though, because I miss him a lot.

**(A/N - hey guys! Sorry the update is a bit late today, but I was out most of the morning and afternoon. Then, I sat down at 4:45, only to get a call from a woman, asking if I could babysit at 5. Really? A fifteen minute warning? So I babysat them (Easiest job ever, by the way... I got payed $30 to watch Harry Potter with two well-behaved children. Life is good!) But yeah, so I couldn't update! D: But now I am, and I hope you liked it! :D Thanks for reading!)**

Confessions of a FanFiction addict #5 - when you spaz out every time your phone buzzes with a new email, saying you got a review! (Which happens a lot for me, because you guys are AWESOME!) Speaking of which... review, please. :D


	10. Chapter 10

**(A/N - Fair Warning: This chapter is sad and short. ): But it's also super important, and I promise, they'll be together soon, just as you all hope. :D This is one of _my_ stories, after all, and they always end up together in my stories, right?)**

_**Friday Morning**_

I have been getting away with not doing the chores for five days now, and it feels so liberating. Eventually, Barbara might find out, but I hope by then that Dez will have found a loophole in my father's will. I had snuck into the Wicked Witch of the East Coast's safe earlier this week, and '_borrowed_' the will. Whatever.

If she does notice, then I'm going to stick to my new plan of reinventing myself. I have grown a spine, and I intend to show that if necessary, when it comes to Barbara. Jessica and Natalie have been keeping their distance the past few days, thank goodness. I think the night that I snapped at them in the kitchen was unexpected for them. Well, it had been building inside of me for quite a while.

The past few days at school have been hard - Austin keeps ignorning me, and Dez keeps insisting that he just needs time. Austin completely stopped listening to girls sing, which either means that he has given up, or, that he believes me, and is just completely pissed that I lied to him.

Each day, I walk into school, hoping to see him standing near my locker with that brilliant smile on his face. Each day, I am disappointed, for he is standing there, looking sad, and walking off before I can say anything. Trish and Dez are being really helpful through all of this, though.

This morning seems to be no different at first. I slept in, got ready, ate an apple, and told Barbara that I did the chores when she asked. Now, I'm sitting in the passenger seat of Trish's car, listening to her ramble on about a girl in her French class. "She is just such a show off," Trish growled, while I nodded my head, only partially paying attention. "And then, a zombie came in, and the apocalypse started." I kept nodding my head, barely registering what she was saying. "Ha, I knew it! You aren't even listening."

That made me snap back to attention. "Sorry, Trish," I said, offering her an apologetic smile. "I promise I was listening about Marcy, I'm just really out of it."

Trish nodded her head in understanding. "It's cool," she said, smiling. "You have a lot going on right now. But, if it were any other time, I would smack the freckles right off your face."

"I don't have freckles," I said, laughing.

"Oh, right," Trish mumbled, looking embarrassed. "I guess I'm just so used to threatening Dez."

"Yeah, because you guys have been spending a lot of time together," I teased, waggling my eyebrows. She smacked my arm and shot me a playful glare as we parked the car. I braced myself for seeing Austin's sad face once again, but was surprised to see only Dez standing near our lockers. "Hey, Dez, where is Austin?"

Dez bit his lip nervously, glancing around. He was trying hard not to meet my eyes. I heard Trish threaten him, and he finally looked at me. "Okay, Ally," he said, sighing. "I have good news and bad news. Which one do you want to hear first?"

"Good news," I mumbled, curious. I could use a little good news in my life.

"Okay," Dez said happily. "Well, I searched your father's will a few times, and there is a section in there that I think you might like. It says that once you're sixteen, you can choose where you live, because he always had faith in your decisions. He knew that you would know what was best for you."

"Really?" I exclaimed, jumping up and down. "That's the best news that I have gotten all week. Thank you, Dez, thank you." I gave him a tight squeeze, even placing a kiss on his cheek before continuing my happy dance.

Trish and Dez grinned, watching me dance. "Of course, there is a ton of legal issues," Dez said quietly, making sure I know this isn't going to be that easy. "I can almost guaruntee that Barbara will make you go to court on this. It's going to be expensive."

I nodded, knowing that was true. But, also knowing that I have a chance to get away from my wicked step-family is nice, so I continued dancing, not caring about the stares I was receiving from other students. Then, I realized something that made me stop dead in my tracks. "Wait," I said. "What was the bad news?" Dez bit his lip again, trying to avoid my gaze. "Dez."

"Okay," he sighed. "So, we have all been giving Austin his space, to figure things out. This morning, I saw him packing, and asked him about it. He announced to me and his parents that he is leaving. _Today_."

"_What_?" Trish and I exclaimed in unison. "What do you mean leaving? Where is he going? Why didn't you tell me earlier?"

"Ally," Dez said, trying to calm me down. "He says he is going back to Hollywood - that even a life of fame is easier than this." He gave me a sad smile at this. "I asked you which news you wanted first. I'm sorry. But, his plane is leaving about an hour after school ends today. If we leave at just the right time, you might be able to catch him. But if you get there any earlier, he'll probably figure out a way to get away from you. You have to trust me on this, Ally."

I thought about it. This _is_ Dez - Austin's best friend. "Okay, I trust you," I said, nodding my head. "But we have to leave as soon as school gets out. I'm not going to lose Austin for good. I need him."

"Believe me," Dez said, shaking his head. "He needs you too." I smiled slightly, and we all went to our classes. I could already tell that this was going to be the longest school day ever.

_**Friday Afternoon**_

As soon as the final school bell rang, I found Dez, standing with Trish at my lockers. "Come on Dez, we have to go," I exclaimed nervously, grabbing his arm. He gave Trish a quick hug, before letting me drag him away.

"I expect you to call me later with details, Ally," Trish called out. I promised her that I would as we ran out to the parking lot, hopping into Dez's car. "Okay, so we have a little less than an hour to get there, get through security, and to Austin's gate," Dez said, as he quickly drove to the airport. It was about twenty-five minutes away. "If we get there on time, this should be perfect."

"What am I supposed to say when I see him?" I asked, frantically. "I don't know what to say. I'll end up babbling like an idiot, and he'll try to get on the plane faster, thinking I'm crazy."

"Trust me, you'll know what to say," Dez insisted. "And I honestly think the second Austin sees you, he'll change his mind. No matter how confused he is, all he needs is to see that you care enough to chase after him - that this wasn't really a game to you."

I nodded my head, silently begging Dez's car to move faster, or for other cars to disappear, so that we could get to the airport quicker. By the time we got there, only twenty-five minutes remained until Austin's flight. The line wasn't too bad in security, but I wasn't taking any chances, and tried to get past as many people as I could, shouting my story over my shoulder. Most people gave me sympathetic, understanding looks, allowing me to pass them in line.

In the end, Dez and I made it through security in only ten minutes, since we had no bags. We got on the tram and raced to Austin's terminal, with ten minutes left by the time we got there. After searching the gate names, we finally spotted where Austin's flight was supposed to take off. Dez and I sprinted down the terminal, apologizing to people that we nearly ran over.

When we arrived at the gate, we saw that they were already in the process of boarding. The last passenger was just walking through the door and into the jetway - a tall head of blonde hair. "Austin," Dez and I shouted, trying to get his attention. All I need is for him to see me.

He spun around and locked eyes with me, a look of shock spreading across his face. Unfortunately, a few seconds later, the door was shut and locked behind him - a wall between he and I. It took a few seconds to register what happened, but when it did, I sunk to the ground. "That's it," I whispered, defeated.

Dez bent down next to me, trying to help me up. "Ally, he saw you," he said, shaking his head. "I knew that look - he was surprised, but happy. He would have come to you, if they hadn't shut the door. They were ahead of schedule, Ally, there was nothing we could do."

"But they did," I said, shakily climbing to my feet. "And now, it's over. He's going to Hollywood to be a rockstar again. And I'm still plain old Ally." Dez gave me a really sad look, and I tried my best to muster a smile. "Thank you, though, Dez. You have been really helpful, and I can't believe you did all this for me. You're a great friend."

At that, he smiled a bit, and we started walking through the airport, back to his car. At this point, the wonderful news of my father's will was practically a distant memory - the happiness I received from it meant nearly nothing in comparison to the void I feel without Austin.

**(A/N - I know, I know, ): But, I warned you! A few hints! The next chapter is going to be Austin's POV, and the one after that is the one you've all been waiting for! I'll try to update today, so I don't keep you waiting, but reviews kind of speed up my writing process, sooo... You know the drill! (; **

Confessions of a FanFiction addict #6 - when you find yourself in daily life, quoting your stories, or other stories that you have read!


	11. Chapter 11

**(A/N - another short, but important chapter! :D This is **_Austin's point of view_**, though!)**

_**Friday Afternoon**_

As my parents drove me to the airport, I kept rethinking my decision - am I really leaving? Am I really going back to Hollywood, living the rockstar life again? I thought about the past few weeks. I came back because I wanted a simpler life, and a chance to make music the way I want to. Well, as it turns out, this life is even more complicated than a life of fame.

It didn't start out that way - I loved being with Dez and my family. Despite the occasional crazy fan-girls, life was good. Then, I met Ally again, and it got even better - she was amazing, and my crush on her from seventh grade quickly rekindled. I fell for Ally very quickly, and I could tell she liked me back, even if something was telling her not to. She tried to fight it, but I saw through it, and I wanted to be there for her.

I wanted to learn everything about her. I wanted to know more about her personal life, and the things that make her tick. She was hesitant to give away information, but slowly, we were forming a bond of trust. I thought I might have ruined it when I tried to kiss her, but I just couldn't help it. We got past that, though.

After that, I went to that stupid singing festival, which just made things even more complicated. I sang with that girl, and just had to know who she was. Nearly every girl in school wanted me to believe that she was the one, but none of them were. Then, the craziest turn of all, was when Natalie and Jessica Sommers invited me over to their house for dinner, insisting it was one of them.

Their mother, Barbara, used to be a model and actress - emphasis on used to be. But, she wanted to get back into Hollywood, and she thought that I was a ticket - if she could get me to fall for one of their daughters, she could use me for fame. Surprisingly, both girls had the song I was looking for, but neither of them was the girl I was looking for. The biggest surprise was when Ally came out serving dinner, before running off.

I followed her, and tried to assure her that it was okay if she needed money. I knew she has a job at the Sonic Boom, so I was curious as to why she needed a second job, as a maid. But, she explained to me her whole story - all the things she has been hiding from me. She told me about her parents dying, Barbara adopting her to put her to work, and all the terrible things they have done to her.

She told me that she didn't want me to see her any differently, and that's why she was hiding it. She didn't want me to pity her, but instead, like her for her personality. I assured her that I saw her no differently - that I was worried, but I don't pity her. I told her what she meant to me, and she said the same things back, before we kissed. In that moment, it seemed as though absolutely nothing could go wrong.

But just moments later, Ally looked up and told me that she was the mystery girl from the song fest. I remember feeling my entire body freeze, as I took in her words. I felt anger start circulating through me - it couldn't be Ally. She doesn't like music, and she had plans that night. With that information, I quickly came to the conclusion that Ally must be part of Barbara's ploy. She knew that Ally would win me over, and then, she would use me.

I remember feeling so many emotions. Anger, for being used. Sadness, for thinking that Ally actually liked me. Fear, for the possibility that she was telling the truth, and that I was about to mess up everything. Instead of giving her a chance to prove herself, I jumped to the immediate conclusion that she was playing me, and called her out on it. The kiss we had just shared meant so much to me, and it probably meant nothing to her.

I remember leaving her house that night in tears, nearly crashing on my way home because my vision was so blurry. I slept the entire weekend, avoiding all of Ally's calls and texts - I needed some time to think. The following few days were hard - seeing Ally's sad face each morning was more than I was able to stand. That's when I decided that I had to leave. I had to get away, because even though this was just a game to Ally, it meant a lot to me.

"Austin," I heard my mother say carefully. I glanced up to see my parents watching me from the front seat. "We're here, sweetie." I looked around and noticed that we were at the airport - my thoughts had taken up the entire twenty-five minute drive. I climbed out of the car alongside my parents, while my father grabbed my suitcases from the trunk.

"Bye, Mom," I said, smiling down at her. I wrapped her in a huge hug, and kissed her cheek, before she started crying. "I promise, I'll be home soon. I'm going to go see if I can make music my way, now."

"I know you can do it, sweetie," she said, giving me a squeeze. "Even though we wish you were staying, we are so proud of you."

I turned to my father, and gave him a quick hug. "See you, son," he said, giving me a small smile. I grabbed my bags and headed into the airport, turning around and waving once more before walking through the doors. After checking my luggage and going through security, I was sitting at my gate, which unfortunately gave me more time to get lost in my thoughts.

Should I really be doing this? If I leave now, then it's over - I will never be able to come back to Ally. Sure, I can come visit my parents and Dez all the time, but I won't be able to see Ally. She'll know that I left, and she'll know it was because of her. The thing is, I don't know how I feel right now.

I think I fell in love with Ally while I was here. Yes, I know that it seemed fast, but there was an instant chemistry, that was impossible not to sense. I was feeling so hurt last Friday night - I honestly felt like my heart was ripped out, torn up, and that the remaining pieces were stuck in a shredder. But, I guess that's what love feels like, especially when you realize the other person doesn't love you back.

I felt someone tap my shoulder, and looked up to see a woman who works at the airport, glancing down at me worriedly. "Sir, did you hear the announcement?" she asked. I shook my head. "We're running a few minutes ahead of schedule, so we started boarding early. You're the last passenger."

"Oh, I'm sorry," I said, jumping to my feet. I took a quick glance around the airport, checking for any last signs of Ally. If she were to show up, right here, right now, I would go back to her in a heartbeat. If I knew that she thought I was worth chasing, then I would know she really felt the way I did.

Not seeing her, I sadly followed the woman towards the boarding area. After handing her my ticket, I took a few steps into the jetway, before hearing my name being called out. I whipped backwards, only to see Ally and Dez sprinting towards my gate. "Austin," Ally called out desperately.

We locked eyes, and in that moment, I knew it was her. She really was the girl from the singing festival, and she really did care about me. Everything she said was true. I was about to run towards her, when the door to the jetway suddenly closed, building a wall between us. "No," I shouted, shaking my head.

I looked at the security guard who had closed the door. He was motioning for me to walk down the jetway, to board the plane. "Sir, you don't understand," I explained. "I can't get on that airplane. I need to get out of here. Could you please open the door?"

"Look, son," he said, shaking his head. "I can't open this door until that plane leaves. In ten minutes, it will be gone, so if you could wait here a few moments, I will tell the flight attendants you won't be boarding." I just nodded my head, and he ran down towards the aircraft, speaking to a woman working the flight.

When he came back I glanced up at him hopefully. "Can you open the door yet?" I asked, not even caring out desperate I sounded.

He shook his head. "Not for another seven minutes," he said. "I have to wait until the plane moves. But I will in a few minutes, promise. That was one pretty girl that was calling after you. I'm sorry I had to close the door, but it's a safety thing."

I nodded my head in understanding. "She sure is special," I said, smiling to myself. "I just hope that I haven't screwed everything up." After about five minutes of pacing, I felt the jetway rumble as the plane backed up. The guard gave me a smile as he opened the door.

"Go get her," he said, nodding his head. I thanked him and took off running, knowing that Ally would be out of the airport by now. I called a cab, since my parents already went back home, and had it drop me off where I knew Ally would be - Sonic Boom. I raced through the doors, which were unlocked, even though the shop was closed.

Darting up the stairs, I made it to the door of Ally's practice room, and quietly listened to the voice of an angel, who was so into her music, she didn't even know I was standing there.

**(A/N - wooo, looks like what you guys have been waiting for is coming next! :D Also, I wanted to let you guys know that I checked my total reviews for my stories, and I finally have over 1,000! I also checked my story stats for the month of June, and noticed that I had over 60,000 hits, and over 16,000 visitors! SIXTEEN THOUSAND? that many people read my stories? I was honestly amazed, because I never thought people would like my stories - I'm not even kidding, I never expected this. I wanted to thank you all for being super awesome readers! :D You're the best!)**

Confessions of a FanFiction addict #7 - when you see a person, and think, "Oh, I'm going to write that person into an OC in one of my stories!"


	12. Chapter 12

**(A/N - sorry to keep you guys waiting. (: But, here is the chapter that you have all been waiting for! I don't own "This is Me" by Demi Lovato, by the way. Read and enjoy!)**

_**Friday Afternoon**_

After Dez and I left the airport, I had him drop me off at Sonic Boom. "Thanks again for everything, Dez," I said, giving him a quick hug. "You're an awesome friend." He gave me a sad smile as I climbed out of his car and walked into the shop. I wasn't planning on opening it today, but I didn't want to go home, and I was in desperate need of letting some feelings out in a song.

So I walked upstairs to my practice room and took a seat at the piano, writing in a spiral notebook that I found in the room. It sure wasn't my songbook, but I have a feeling that I am never going to get that back now. I just started writing out all of my feelings into a new song, making up a new melody and adding words as I went.

_I've always been the kind of girl _  
_That hid my face _  
_So afraid to tell the world _  
_What I've got to say _  
_But I have this dream _  
_Right inside of me _  
_I'm gonna let it show, it's time _  
_To let you know _  
_To let you know_

_This is real, this is me _  
_I'm exactly where I'm supposed to be, now _  
_Gonna let the light, shine on me _  
_Now I've found, who I am _  
_There's no way to hold it in _  
_No more hiding who I want to be _  
_This is me_

_Do you know what it's like _  
_To feel so in the dark _  
_To dream about a life _  
_Where you're the shining star _  
_Even though it seems _  
_Like it's too far away _  
_I have to believe in myself _  
_It's the only way_

_This is real, this is me _  
_I'm exactly where I'm supposed to be, now _  
_Gonna let the light, shine on me _  
_Now I've found, who I am _  
_There's no way to hold it in _  
_No more hiding who I want to be _  
_This is me_

I was crying silently, until I heard a voice singing. It was so quiet, that I thought it was my imagination playing tricks on me - it sounded just like Austin when he really sings.

_You're the voice I hear inside my head _  
_The reason that I'm singing _  
_I need to find you, I gotta find you _  
_You're the missing piece I need _  
_The song inside of me _  
_I need to find you, I gotta find you_

By that point, I was sure that I was going crazy. It sounded so real, yet it didn't make sense. I have never heard those lyrics before, but instead of singing them myself, I was imagining Austin singing them. "Ally," I heard him say.

I spun around on the piano stool, and realized that he really had been singing those words, and that it wasn't just my imagination. "Austin," I said, barely audible. I rubbed my eyes once more to make sure this wasn't an illusion. I pinched myself to make sure I wasn't dreaming.

"This isn't a dream, Als," he said, chuckling lightly. "I'm right here. I always will be." That's all I needed to hear to send me rushing into his arms. I wrapped my arms around him tightly, as I felt his own strong arms envelope around me. I buried my head into his chest and started crying. I don't know why he is here, I'm just glad he is.

"I thought you went back to California," I whispered. "I thought that you were going to leave me." Austin pulled back a bit so we were looking at each other. He gave me a small smile, and gestured towards the couch.

"I think we have a lot to talk about," he said gently. I nodded my head and we sat on opposite sides of the couch, facing each other. "First, I want to say that I know you were the girl I sang with. One look in your eyes at the airport, and I could tell. Hearing you sing just now only proved my point even more."

"I wanted to tell you," I said, glancing down. But he reached over and tilted my chin up carefully so I had to keep looking at him. "But I didn't know how you would react. The truth is, I love music. I only told you that I didn't, because I have horrible stage fright. When people figure that out, it leads to questions, which often dip into my personal life, and I didn't want that. At the time, it was because you're a celebrity, and I thought all famous people were the same way - shallow. I did it because, at the time, I didn't really want to be friends. Later, though, as we became closer, it was because I didn't want you to know all of the crap about my life. I wanted you to like me for who I wanted to be."

He nodded, smiling. "And if you haven't noticed yet," Austin said. "I'm kind of crazy about you. The real you - messed up or not."

"I never thought you would like me," I admitted, shaking my head. "Everyone told me you would never fall for a girl like me, and I believed them. I thought that once I told you I was the mystery girl, you wouldn't want to know her anymore. I'm really not that interesting, and it was probably boring enough to get to know me as Ally. But, as your mystery girl on top of that?"

"Hey, Ally?" he asked, a smile playing on his lips. "Do me a favor. Shut up for a second." He gave me a warm smile, and I couldn't help but grin back, ready to hear what he had to say. "You are _not_ boring. I easily think that you are the most interesting person that I have ever met in my life, not to mention the most real, beautiful, smart, talented, and funny girl ever. You doubt yourself far too much, and let what others say get to you, and I am determined to help you realize how amazing you truly are."

"Wow," I said, smiling. "You really think all of that?" He nodded his head, taking my hand in his own. "You're the amazing one."

He grinned, and suddenly reached into his back pocket. "I almost forgot," he said, handing me my songbook. "I believe that's yours. There's some great songs in there, and even a few journal entries about some great guy named Austin. What was it again?" At this point, he was teasing me, tapping his finger against his chin, actling like he was thinking. "Oh, yeah. Something about making your life more bearable, and being the cutest, funniest, most talented guy ever?"

"I did not say that last part," I protested, snatching my book from his hands and playfully smacking him with it. "And I can't believe you read my journal entries."

"I had to figure out who it was," he explained. "I read them on the way here, and that only strengthened my feeling that you were the one, after I saw you in the airport. And if that wasn't solid enough, the song you were singing was. That was amazing."

"Thanks," I said, smiling a bit. "But, I still never said all that stuff about you in there."

"But, you know that it's all true," Austin said, grinning and winking at me.

"Maybe," I mumbled, teasing and giving a small smile.

"Well," he said, standing up and pulling me to my feet. "Now that we have cleared up all the secrets, and talked everything out, there is only one thing left to ask."

"And, what's that?" I asked, confused.

"Ally," he said, giving me the most dazzling grin that I have ever seen. "You know exactly how I feel about you - I'm crazy for you, I think you're amazing, and there's a huge possibility that I might be in love with you." He blushed, rubbing the back of his neck nervously. "So, would you do me the honor of being my girlfriend?"

"Absolutely," I said, without hesitation, and wrapping my arms around his neck. He planed his hands at my waist, and we both smiled. "Because the truth is, I'm a bit crazy about you as well, and I might just be a little in love with you, too."

In less than a second, our lips were suddenly connected. Despite everything that has happened in the past week, it felt just as great as our first kiss, if not even better. "Hey, Ally," Austin whispered against my lips, making me grin. "You know that I have had a crush on you since seventh grade, right?"

"I've been told," I whispered back, kissing him lightly as he leaned his forehead against mine. "And Austin? You know that I think you are the coolest, most real celebrity that I have ever met, right?"

He nodded before kissing me again, softly. In that moment, I knew that everything was alright. This is the best that my life has been in years, and I couldn't be happier.

**(A/N - dawwwwwh, mushy gushiness that is just making your Auslly hearts melt, right? :P Well, most Cinderella stories would cut off here, but this is **_NOT_** the end. (: There are going to be a few more chapters, so keep reading. And as usual, review! :D )**

Confessions of a FanFiction addict #8 - When you literally squeal in delight when one of your favorite stories is updated.


	13. Chapter 13

**(A/N - hey guys! Here's the next chapter! Enjoy!)**

**_Monday Morning_**

Trish and I were standing at our lockers, waiting for the boys. I did a little bit of work for Barbara over the weekend, but only because I was in a good mood, and didn't want her to get too suspicious. The twins were furious when they found out that Austin and I are a couple now.

"Ally," Austin shouted, as he sprinted down the hall towards us. Dez was just a few feet behind him, and both of them had huge grins on their faces. I smiled back, wondering what had him so excited. When they got to us, Austin picked me up by the waist, spinning me around.

"Austin," I giggled, ignoring the stares from everyone around us. "Put me down." He did as I said and leaned down quickly to give me a kiss. I was shocked that he was using such public displays of affection, but I grinned nonetheless. "What are you so excited about?"

Austin shared a look with Dez, who seemed equally excited. "Okay," Austin said, placing his hands firm on my shoulders and looking me in the eyes. "We have great news. So, I talked to my family's lawyer, and we told him about your situation, and showed him your father's will. He says that if we can prove that Barbara treats you poorly, you can totally win the case. And since you are sixteen, like it says in your father's will, you get to choose where you go after that. He says he is willing to defend you, and scheduled a court date for this Friday."

"That's amazing," I said, giving him a giant hug. Then, I pulled back, full of questions. "_This_ Friday? You think we can pull together enough proof by then? If Barbara knows about the case already, she'll treat me really well the next few days, just so we have no evidence."

"We already have evidence," Dez said, smiling. "There's a huge possibility that I planted cameras in your house when Trish first told me about your problem. I have a ton on tape already, definitely enough to show the judge."

"Plus, you have a witness," Austin said, pointing towards himself. "I saw how they treated you the night I came over for dinner. I'm more than willing to testify."

I grinned thankfully at both of them. "You guys are amazing," I said happily, bringing them both in for a hug. "Does Barbara already know? She's going to hate me the next few days."

"She should know by now," Austin said, nodding his head. "I had my lawyer call hers as soon as you left your house this morning. And no worries, I think we can arrange for you to stay somewhere else until the trial. They can think of it as an extended sleepover."

"Where?" I asked, furrowing my eyebrows together.

"We have an extra guest room," Austin said, offering me a small smile. "I explained the situation to my parents, and they said it was totally okay for you to stay with us - I mean, if you want to."

I gave him a big smile and a quick peck on the cheek. "That sounds good to me," I said, nodding my head. "You have the answers to everything, you know that, right?"

"Well, there is still one last answer that we need from _you_," Austin said, wrapping an arm around my shoulders. "Are you on board for the trial?"

"Absolutely," I said, nodding my head. "If it means getting out of that hell-hole of a home, I'm all for it." Austin, Dez, and Trish all high-five, knowing that this was almost the end of my misery that my step-family has put me through. Then, a thought struck me. "Wait, you guys - I don't have the money for this. Barbara obviously won't pay, because it's her I am testifying against."

"I got it covered," Austin said quietly, giving my hand a reassuring squeeze. I started to protest, since there is no way I am letting him pay for this, but he cut me off, looking me directly in the eyes. "Als," he said, his tone serious. "You're my girlfriend now, and I would do absolutely _anything_ to make you happy. My family has always been a bit wealthy, and that only increased with my fame. Please let me do this for you. I love you."

"I love you, too," I whispered confidently, before he connected our lips gently, but with passion. This was quite possibly the best kiss so far, because there were so many emotions swirling around us. "Thanks."

"Enough with the PDA, you two," Trish teased, grabbing my arm. "We're already late for class." Austin gave me one more quick kiss, before waving and walking to his class with Dez. Trish pulled me towards our own class, and wiggled her eyebrows at me. "Ally is in _love_," she said in a sing-song voice. I rolled my eyes, but knew it was true.

_**Monday Afternoon**_

"You can do this," Austin said, grabbing for my hand and intertwining our fingers. We were standing at the base of my driveway, and right now, I'm supposed to go pack for a few days. I'm staying at Austin's house until the trial on Friday. If we win, I will come back to pack everything, and choose where I live. If we lose - well, I don't want to think about that.

I nodded my head and we walked up to the house hand in hand, Austin whispering encouraging things the entire time. We walked through the front door, headed for the pool house. Somehow, we made it without any of the wicked witches noticing us, and I quickly packed clothes, personal items, and enough to stay at Austin's house for a few days.

Austin took my bag for me, and we quickly snuck back through the house. As I opened the front door, I heard something that almost made me scream. "Ally," Barbara said. I turned around slowly to see her standing a few feet away, her arms crossed. The only word I could use to explain the look on her face was disappointment. "I can't believe you."

There were so many things I could have shouted at her in that moment. I was angry enough to attack her, to scream at her, and to explain everything she has done to me in the past few years to make me miserable. But, Austin placed his hand on my back, as a warning, and I quickly simmered down. "Well, believe it," I said firmly, enjoying the look of shock on Barbara's face as Austin and I walked outside.

I slammed the door behind me, and we quickly walked to Austin's car. "That wasn't so bad," Austin said, giving me a huge smile. "That was the hardest part, too. From here on out, everything will be smooth sailing."

"I hope you're right," I said, nodding my head. He drove to his house, and I gasped when he pulled into the driveway. The building in front of me is extravagant - two stories and nicely designed.

Austin took my bag for me again, and led me inside, where Dez was waiting with a man and woman. "Oh, you must be Ally," the woman exclaimed, pulling me into a hug. "I'm Austin's mother. I'm so sorry about the situation you are in, and want you to know, that you can treat our house like your own."

"I'd rather not treat it like my own," I joked half-heartedly, trying to lighten the mood. Everyone got a chuckle out of that, and Mr. Moon introduced himself as well. "Thank you guys for opening your home to me."

"Anything for the girl that is making our son happy," Mr. Moon said, smiling. "He hasn't stopped talking about you for weeks - and we thought that he talked about you a lot in seventh grade."

"That's right," Mrs. Moon said, nodding her head with a smile. "He was always talking about Ally, the girl who sat in front of him in math. I can't believe that after all these years, he got the girl he's always wanted."

"You guys," Austin groaned, blushing brightly. "_Please_ stop talking. Don't say anything embarrassing about me while Ally is here."

"Please, I already know all your secrets," I teased Austin, poking him in the side. Then, I turned back to his parents. "Feel free to tell me anything embarrassing about him. Oh, and I would love to see some baby pictures."

This got everyone laughing again, while Austin rolled his eyes, smiling. "I think we can arrange that," Mrs. Moon laughed. "Austin, Dez, show Ally to her room, please."

They both nodded and grabbed my stuff, leading me up the stairs to a guest room. It was really nice - much nicer than the pool house - and I was so greatful. "Thanks, guys," I said, giving them both hugs.

Dez nodded and walked out of the room, mentioning something about a Zaliens marathon. Austin's eyes lit up, and he said he would be there in a few minutes. "Zaliens are awesome," he said to me, excitement dancing across his face. "And I'm _really_ glad that you're here."

"I am too," I said, intertwining our fingers. "Thank you so much for everything. You truly have no idea how much you mean to me." Austin grinned.

"I think I have a pretty good idea," he said, pulling me closer and nuzzling his nose into my hair. "Because I feel the same way about you." He leaned down and kissed me, and I couldn't help thinking that even in the midst of a huge mess, my life couldn't get much better.

**(A/N - ta-da! Okay, so a few things to expect in future chapters - the trial, a surprise visit from a character, and a happy ending. Plus, an even happier epilogue - you guys know me, I LOVE epilogues... Also, I noticed that this is my most highly reviewed story so far! Thanks guys, and feel free to keep the reviews coming! :D You rock!)**

Confessions of a FanFiction addict #9 - When you find yourself constantly refreshing the list of fanfictions, hoping for an update on a good story, or an awesome new story! Literally, I hit the refresh button like, 50 times an hour.


	14. Chapter 14

**(A/N - it's been a whole week since I updated this story? o: I give you all full permission to hate me, I completely forgot! But, here's the chapter!)**

"Ally, don't be nervous," Austin whispered in my ear as we walked into the courtroom. It was the day of my trial against Barbara, and I was spazzing out quite a bit. What if they send me back to the house, and she treats me even worse than before? I don't think I can put up with that for two more years until I turn eighteen. Austin reached down and gave my hand a comforting squeeze. "I'm right here - and as long as I'm here, nothing bad will happen to you."

I smiled up at him, feeling my confidence soar. "Thanks," I said, nodding and giving him a quick kiss. "I honestly couldn't have done any of this without you." He smiled and went to his seat, while I had to go sit at a table near the front of the courthouse, next to the Moon's lawyer.

"You ready for this, kiddo?" he asked, smiling at me. I nodded - his name is Frank, and he reminds me a lot of my father when he was still alive. Over the past week, not only had Austin and his family been super supportive, but so has Frank, talking me through all the details of this trial.

The back door slammed, and Barbara walked in alongside her own lawyer, looking washed-up as usual. She doesn't get out of the house much except to party - at night. She hasn't seen the sunlight in a while, and the look on her face tells me that if I don't get my way in this case, she's going to give me hell to pay.

"Ready as I'll ever be," I said back, laughing lightly. Mrs. Moon has been helping me look at the positives in this situation, and I'm learning to keep an upbeat attitude - something I lost after my father died, but that Austin brought back out of me.

"All rise," the bailiff exclaimed, as the judge walked in. She was a sweet looking, middle-aged woman, wearing a nice smile. Considering the case was private, the only people in the room to rise were Barbara, myself, the two lawyers, Austin, his parents, Dez, Trish, Jessica, and Natalie.

After swearing us all in, we took our seats again. Frank took the stand first, basically presenting our side of the case. I was called up for questioning, and I didn't hold back on anything, going into details about the chores, and poor treatment. I even displayed a few of the lists that Barbara had given me, which were compared to her own handwriting.

Thus far, the case seemed to be in our favor. After that, Austin, Trish, Dez, and Mr. and Mrs. Moon were called up one at a time, being asked basic questions on their relationship with me, and what they know about my situation.

I couldn't help but smile when it was Austin's turn. "Mr. Moon, what is your relation with Ms. Dawson?" Barbara's lawyer asked. "And what do you know about her situation."

"I'm one of Ally's best friends, and her boyfriend," Austin said, smiling over at me. "And her situation? I know that she is treated far more poorly than anyone should ever be treated - especially such a great, wonderful person as her. She should be placed up on a pedestal - like a princess. But instead, her '_family_' doesn't seem to care at all, and torments her. She doesn't deserve it. She deserves so much better."

"Thank you, Mr. Moon," the lawyer said, excusing him from the stand. Austin gave my shoulder a comforting squeeze as he passed me on the way back to his seat.

"Well," the judge - who I now know is Judge Dulce - said. "I think we have gathered enough information from Ms. Dawson's point of view. The evidence was strong, but we still have to let Barbara give her side of the story."

Barbara walked up to the stand. "You all seem to be taking this the wrong way," she said, pretending to tear up. It didn't look like anyone was buying her act. "I was just trying to give Ally a good life - I didn't want her to be adopted when her father died, because I knew it would only make her life harder. She needed a family. She needed us. Sure, I give her a lot of chores. But, it's only to teach her lessons that she needs later in life."

Everyone shook their heads as she took her seat again. "Well, I guess some blood relatives can come up and defend Ms. Sommers," the judge said, obviosly tired of this. She sent me a small smile, and I beamed back, knowing that this was looking better for me by the minute.

Jessica and Natalie took the stand together. "Well," Natalie said. "Our mom is a great person, and she loves all of us equally. She gives us everything we want - cars, clothes, shoes-"

"She doesn't give Ally any of that though," Jessica pointed out, making her receive an elbow in the side from Natalie, and a glare from Barbara and her lawyer. "What? She doesn't."

"That's because Ally doesn't deserve it," Natalie shouted. "She is an ugly, talentless loser, that nobody cares about, and that everyone just feels sorry for." I noticed Austin stand up in anger, but his parents quickly put their hands on his shoulder, making him sit, so he wouldn't do something he would later regret.

"_Actually_," Jessica said. "Ally is really pretty, and super talented. We're just jealous of her, remember? _Duh_." I smiled. Despite the fact that Natalie just insulted me, it didn't sting at all. plus, Jessica's idiocy actually came in handy for once - she admitted that Barbara treats them better than me, and that she and Natalie are jealous.

They took their seats again, and the judge went to speak, but suddenly, the back door of the courthouse flew open. I gasped when I saw who was running in, a huge smile crossing my face. "Joey?" I asked. The one person that actually keeps me sane in the Sommers house had shown up - how, I'm not sure.

"Hello," he said to the judge. "I'm here to talk about the case. I'm Joseph Sommers."

"That's my son," Barbara shouted. "He'll defend me. He is far more trustworthy than any of these people in here that you could consider witnesses."

After being sworn in, Joey took the stand. "Actually, I'm here _against_ you, Mom," he said, shaking his head. "I'm here for Ally - she doesn't deserve anything you and the twins have put her through in the past few years. I was the only one around for her. I wish I could have been around more often, since I could only come on breaks because of college, but I'm here right now. And I wish I could say that my mother treats Ally well, and like a member of the family, but I was just sworn in, and that would be a lie."

By the end of his mini speech, I was grinning, knowing that this was almost over. "Well, I think we can all see what direction this is pointing in," Judge Dulce said, standing up. "Barbara Sommers is guilty. Ms. Dawson, what exactly are you hoping to get out of this trial?"

"Well, I'm glad you asked that," Frank said, holding up my father's will. "In Lester Dawson's will, it said that once Ally turned sixteen, he trusted her judgement to decide where she was to live. She is now sixteen, and she has chosen to move out of Barbara's house. She would also like a restraining order against Barbara, Natalie, and Jessica Sommers."

"Consider it done," the judge said, using her gavel. "Case dismissed." Barbara, Natalie, Jessica, and their lawyer quickly exited the courtroom, obviously frustrated. I didn't even realize that the tears were pouring down my face until Joey came over and hugged me. "I'm so sorry I haven't been here as much as I wish I could," Joey said, squeezing me tightly. Even if he was a child of the Wicked Witch of the East Coast, he was a great person.

"Thanks, bro," I said, punching his arm lightly when I called him my brother. "And thanks for showing up. How did you know to come?"

"Trish called me," he said, gesturing towards Trish. "She said that you needed a Sommers' point of view against my mother, and trust me, I was more than willing to give it. You don't deserve any of the things that you have been put through."

I quickly introduced him to all my friends, and Austin's parents. "And this," I said, as Austin slung his arm around my shoulders. "Is Austin."

"Ah, the boyfriend," Joey said, shooting Austin a look. "Do I need to pull the whole overprotective brother act on him?"

Austin's eyes widened, and I giggled, rolling my eyes. "No, Joey, I think Austin is plenty protective enough over me," I said, leaning up to kiss Austin's cheek. He grinned back, and then, Judge Dulce and Frank came over.

"Ally, sweetie," the judge said. "Since you are sixteen, you have to pick a place to live. Do you have anywhere in mind?"

Joey started listing off nice family members that I could go to - all out of state. Yeah, _not_ happening. Trish offered up her house, just as her parents had done when my father passed. And the Moons all said that their house would continue to be available, if I choose to live there.

"Well," I said, finally coming to a decision. "The past few days at the Moons have been great - they're close, supportive, and friendly, like a family should be. I've decided to move in with them."

"Then, it's settled," Judge Dulce announced. "You can go pick up your stuff from The Sommers' residence, and we will make sure that none of them are there, in accordance with your restraining order. Congrats, sweet girl, I'm glad this worked out for you."

After that, I hugged Joey, thanking him again for coming, and for being there for me. "Trish, you are so great," I whispered to her, wrapping her in a tight hug. "You're my best friend, and thank you for offering to let me move in."

"Absolutely," Trish said. Then she started laughing. "It was probably a wise choice to not pick my house though - my mother watches Spanish soap operas all day, and both of my parents are always wearing pajamas."

I laughed too, then turned my attention back to Austin, his parents, and Dez. "Thank you guys so much," I said, pulling them into a giant group hug. "You're all amazing, and I really appreciate this."

"Welcome to the family," Mrs. Moon said, giving me a tight squeeze. Mr. Moon agreed.

"Totally," Dez exclaimed. "It's going to be so awesome-sauce having you around."

We all went to exit the courtroom, but Austin pulled me aside. "What do you think about all this?" I asked, biting my lip. What if he didn't want me to move in to his house?

"I think it's perfect," he said, giving me a tight hug. "I think that _you're_ perfect - and I can't believe you're mine. Ally, I meant it when I said I hadn't stopped thinking about you since seventh grade. I really do love you."

I pulled him into a deep, passionate kiss. We stood there that way for a few minutes, before Mrs. Moon said it was time to go gather my things from my old house. "I really do love you, too," I said.

"Awesome-sauce," he whispered against my lips, making me crack up at his use of Dez's odd expression. He laughed too, taking my hand and lacing our fingers together. Everything was finally set right.

**(A/N - ta-da! Well, that is pretty much the end, but you guys all know that I LOVE epilogues, so be expecting one of those in the next few days! (: And as usual, REVIEW! because they mean a lot to me!)**

_Confessions of a FanFiction Addict #10 - When you read/write fanfiction so much, that when you actually watch the show, you think "Man, why isn't this happening? Why aren't they doing this?" For example, I always wonder why Austin & Ally aren't together yet on the show, since I read so much fanfiction._


	15. Chapter 15

Just an author's note...

Hey minions! - well, readers... I don't really want to refer to you guys as minions anymore, because I'm not all that into writing... At least not at the moment.

So, as I'm sure you guys have realized, I have been taking much longer to update recently - I used to post daily, and I am now to the point where a whole week goes by between updates! I feel really bad about it, but I have just been lacking any motivation/inspiration whatsoever...

I'm not really sure what happened. One day, I was like, _"Yeah, I love writing these! Gotta keep writing all day!"._ Then, the next, I was like, _"I really don't want to do this anymore._" It's not that I am feeling not good enough as a writer, or that you haven't been reviewing enough - TRUST ME, that's not it. You guys are awesome! :D

I was talking to one of my friends about it, and she said that it might be like, overexposure - that I was writing so much, and always on fanfiction, that I just got tired of it. I think she might be right!

So, here's the thing. In a few days, I will be leaving for a week or so on a mission trip, and won't have any access to a computer, so I won't be able to write/post/update. I'm hoping that with that week off, I will miss writing, and come back ready to update again! I want to finish my stories, and I really want to write more, too! But, I just can't write anything at the moment, because I have been too much lately.

So, basically what I am saying is that for the next week or so, you won't be seeing me on here at all - but don't look at it as a bad thing! Hopefully, being away from writing for a while will mean coming back with tons of motivation! And even if I do come back not wanting to write, I promise that I will at least finish the stories that I have started! Because, you guys are awesome readers, and deserve that much. (:

Basically, just be patient with me the next few weeks, please! I will update these eventually! In the meantime, if you don't already write fanfiction yourself, GO WRITE STUFF! I want to come back and see some awesome, new stories up, and maybe that will bring up some inspiration for me as well!

Thanks! (:

-heyitsme517


	16. Epilogue

**(A/N - oh hey guys, here's the epilogue! Sorry it took so long. (: Enjoy!)**

"Ally, what's taking so long?" I heard Austin groan from outside my dorm room. My roomate, Scarlett, and I shared a knowing look, rolling our eyes. After being roomates for nearly four years, she understands how impatient Austin tends to get.

I walked to the door and let him in. "I have to finish packing," I said, smiling and giving him a gentle kiss. "You could come help, you know, instead of complaining."

"_Or_, I could sit down and watch you pack," Austin said, clapping his hands together in fake excitement. "You always look so cute when you're running around last minute." I shot him a playful glare and he put his hands up in surrender. "Okay, okay, I'll help. What can I do?"

"You can hand me the rest of my clothes to pack up," I suggested, making room for some clothes in my suitcase. He grabbed the last pile, smirking as he picked up a lacy black bra and swinging it in front of my face. "Drop it before you lose the hand."

Austin set the lingerie back down, but not before winking and waggling his eyebrows at me. "Kidding, Alls," he said, hugging me from behind as I set the rest of my clothes in my bag. "But, something I'm not kidding about is that we are going to miss our flight if we don't hurry."

"You just want to go see your mom," I teased, booping Austin on the nose. He has always been a bit of a mama's boy. "I'm almost done, I promise."

"That's not true," Austin protested, crossing his arms defensively. "I also want to see my dad, Dez, and Trish. We haven't seen them since Thanksgiving, you know."

"And that wasn't even a month ago," I pointed out. "But, I miss them, too. And, I just packed my last thing, so if you could be so kind as to carry my bag outside, we can head to the airport.

"And, what do I get out of it?" Austin asked, smiling. I roll my eyes, knowing that he is just being flirty, but that he would do anything for me if I just asked, with nothing in return. I would do the same for him, because that's how we are.

"Hm," I teased, tapping my chin. "How about kisses and a new song for us to record."

"Well, I already get that anyway, but it's all I could ever ask for, so I'll take it," Austin said. "But, you know, a kiss right now wouldn't hurt." I rolled my eyes and stood on my tip-toes, giving him a sweet kiss on the lips. Unfortunately, I haven't grown at all in the past six years - I'm still at the short height that I was at when we were sixteen and began dating. Austin, on the other hand, ending up growing another four inches. At six-foot-four, he towers over me, but it's actually a pretty cute height difference.

"As adorable as you two are," Scarlett called out. "I need to finish packing, and would rather not throw up my breakfast." Austin smiled and gave Scarlett a quick side-hug before grabbing my bags and heading out towards his car.

"Tell your parents I say hello," I said to Scarlett, wrapping her in a tight embrace. Over the past few years here at Julliard, she has become one of my best friends. "And have a good time back in Minnesota."

"You too," she said, squeezing me in return. "And have a blast in Miami. See you in a few weeks. Now, go catch up to your boy before he blows a gasket. The guy wants to see his mama." She winked, causing me to laugh before I grabbed my purse and skipped out the door.

I went outside and found Austin standing at the passenger side of his car, holding the door open for me. "After you, mi'lady," he said, in a fake accent, bowing.

"Thank you, kind sir," I replied, curtsying before hopping into the car. We drove to the airport, where we would soon be boarding a plane, headed for our hometown of Miami, Florida. "Are you ready?"

"Definitely," Austin said, excited. "New York is great and all, but I sure miss Miami. I want to see everyone. This is going to be awesome."

"Yeah," I agreed, nodding my head. "Plus, we won't need all these warm clothes. Florida never got too cold during the winter." I gestured down at our clothes, which consisted of multiple layers, scarves, boots, hats, mittens, ear-muffs, and more. Let's just say that New York got pretty cold during the winter, where as in Florida, there was no snow, and you could get by in a pair of jeans and light jacket.

Eventually, we were at the airport, with our luggage checked and we were through security. We boarded the plane, thankfully with seats next to each other, and after take-off, I leaned my head on Austin's shoulders. I was almost lost in thought already as he wrapped his arm around me and layed his own head on top of mine.

I remember when I first met Austin - six years ago, the teen music sensation, who came back to his home-town of Miami, to "discover his roots". Due to the fact that I lived with a wicked, washed-up celebrity step-mother, I thought all stars were the same, and tried to push him away as much as possible.

He, however, was quick to befriend me, and we were quickly falling in love, despite how much I wanted to reject the idea. Through much drama and begging, I finally opened myself up to Austin, shocked that he still wanted to stick around after knowing all my dirty little secrets. Not only did he stay, but he helped me out of the rough patch in my life that had once seemed never ending.

After he got me away from my wicked step-family, I moved into his house, with his parents, and Dez. And since then, Mike and Mimi raised me like one of their own. We finished our sophomore year of high school with ease, and the rest of high school followed suit. People got used to having Austin around, and his celebrity status declined a bit, but he didn't mind. Trish, Dez, Austin and I were the best of friends, and always have a great time. We were the golden couple of the school, and life was great for me, after being miserable for years.

It only got better when Austin and I got our acceptance letters to the Julliard school of music towards the end of our senior year. Not only that, but we both got full scholarships, and have been there for the past three and a half years, making music, friends, and falling deeper and deeper into love.

Now, we were on a plane back to Miami, to spend our three-week winter holiday with our friends and family. After these three weeks are up, we will be headed back to New York for our final semester at Julliard, and we haven't exactly decided what will happen after that.

"What are you thinking about?" Austin whispered, letting his lips linger near my ear.

"Everything," I responded, and he nodded, knowing exactly what I meant. Austin and I are at the point in our relationship - nearly six years - that we know what the other is thinking, and can finish each other's sentences. And even if one of us gives only a one-word answer, the other knows and understands the hundreds of other words wrapped up with it.

We both dozed off in each other's arms, only to be jolted awake hours later by the plane landing. We hurried off the plane, grabbing our luggage, before calling a taxi to take us to Austin's house - er, my house, too. I tend to forget that sometimes.

The cab had barely been put in park before Austin was out the door, grabbing all of our luggage and rushing into the house. "He's a good guy," the taxi man said, tipping his hat towards me. "Albeit a bit childish."

"Yeah," I laughed, thanking him and waving. "But, there's absolutely nothing I would change about him." I headed into the house after him, where he was already thrusting our bags to the floor, arms wide open as he engulfed his mother in a hug.

"Mom," he shouted excitedly, towering over the small woman, and nearly crushing her with his tight embrace. I giggled to myself. He is _so_ a mama's boy. Mike came over and gave me a hug, ruffling my hair a bit before walking over to Austin, embracing him in a hug as well.

Mimi rushed over and wrapped her arms around me. "Oh, Ally, it's so good to see you again," she exclaimed, and I squeezed back.

"You too, Mimi," I said, smiling - she was the closest thing to a mother I have had since my own mother died many years ago. I truly loved Austin's mother as my own.

We all talked excitedly for a second before the front door opened, and Dez stepped in, Trish only a few feet behind him. "Dez, Trish," I squealed, running over and pulling them both in for hugs. They have both been attending a school in Boston, Trish for fashion design, and Dez for filming. As for their relationship - they aren't dating, but they are in love, and everyone knows it. Trish both verbally and physically attacks Dez, while he asks stupid questions, purposefully annoying her, because he loves it.

They have both admitted to loving each other, but dating just isn't their cup of tea. Somehow, the relationship works for them, and now we are all just waiting for Dez to slip her the big question, since we all know it will happen someday. Well - he wasn't the _only_ one that people are waiting for - hopefully, someone else will slip me the same question soon.

After unpacking all our things, settling in, and exchanging stories about our lives since we last got together at Thanksgiving, there was some downtime. "Ally, come with me," Austin said, taking my hand and intertwining our fingers. I followed him to his car that was left in Miami, and he slipped a blindfold over my eyes. I opened my mouth to protest, but knowing what I was going to say, Austin cut me off. "I know you don't like surprises, but this is a good one, trust me."

We drove for a few minutes in comfortable silence, and I tried to pinpoint where we might be going based off of the amount of time the drive was taking. Soon enough, the engine was cut, and Austin ran around to my door, opening it, and lightly guiding me.

Soon enough, we were inside the Sonic Boom, which was now owned by Austin's parents. I got posession of it when Barbara and the twins moved away from Miami, but I later passed it off to Mike and Mimi, unable to run it all the way from New York.

Austin slipped my blindfold off so he could take me upstairs, to the practice room. I gasped, noticing all the candles and pictures of us set up around the room. "Austin, when did you do this?" I asked, glancing around at all the decorations. "Why did you do this?"

"You know when you were taking a little nap earlier?" he asked, smiling. I nodded. "That's when I came by and did it. And I did this because you deserve it. Plus, this was the first place that you really started opening up to me. This is the place that our friendship grew. This is where I found you when I came back, when we patched up everything, and got rid of all the secrets. This room is special to us, and I wanted to bring you here for something important."

"What kind of something?" I asked, quirking an eyebrow. "This is all great, by the way."

Austin smiled and kissed me gently, before taking a deep breath. "Ally, ever since the seventh grade, in math, when I first layed eyes on you - well, uh, the back of your head," he began, making me giggle. "I knew that I liked you. When I came back in tenth grade, I could immediately tell that you were different, and that little crush came back, only a million times stronger. As we were becoming friends, and I was getting to know the real you, I fell deeper and deeper in love with you. I wanted to be your everything, and I wanted to make sure that smile never left your face. And although there was a lot of drama and events leading up to us getting together, we overcame all the obstacles, and I wouldn't change them for the world."

"Austin, that's so sweet," I breathed out, near tears. I had the most perfect guy standing in front of me, professing his love towards me. Who wouldn't be crying right now - of joy, I mean.

"There's that smile I love," he said, matching my grin with one of his own. "Anyway, the past six years have been the best of my life, Alls. I love you so much, and I want to spend many more with you." At this point, he lowered to one knee and pulled something from his pocket. I gasped, knowing what was coming next, as he opening a small, blue, velvet box and flashed a ring in my direction. "Ally Dawson, I want to spend the rest of my life with you. Will you do me the honor of marrying me?"

I could only nod before grabbing his shirt collar and pulling him up to his feet, kissing him passionately. I hoped that everything I could say was conveyed in that kiss, and since Austin knows me so well, I knew it would be.

After pulling away, nearly minutes later, Austin smiled down at me goofily. "So, is that a yes?" he teased.

"Absolutely," I said, beaming. He slipped the ring onto my finger, and we shared yet another kiss. To think that my life went from being the miserable maid of my wicked step-family, to nearly perfect, with my Prince Charming - hey, maybe I'm like Cinderella after all.

**(A/N - well, ta-da! The end was a bit corny, I know! But I finally found the inspiration to finish this... Yep, that's right, it's finished! :D I'm sad to see it end, but excited to work on my other stories! You should check them out if you haven't already! And, thanks for reading! Leave a review on what you thought!)**


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